Federal Minister for Planning, Ahsan Iqbal, accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday of acting as an “instrument of anti-state lobbies” while alleging that the opposition party was seeking the release of its founder, Imran Khan, through an executive order akin to an NRO-like deal. These remarks were made during ongoing negotiations between the government and the PTI.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Iqbal criticized Imran Khan, stating, “The keys to a nuclear state were handed to a person who lacks even the experience to manage a union council.” He also reiterated allegations that Khan’s rise to power in 2018 came through backdoor means.
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Iqbal accused the PTI-led government of mismanagement and incompetence, which he claimed had plunged the country into its current challenges. He also highlighted the recent rise in remittances, which reached $3.1 billion in December—a 29.3% year-on-year increase. He attributed this surge to the failure of PTI’s appeal to overseas Pakistanis to boycott remittances as part of their anti-government campaign.
Last month, the imprisoned PTI founder had called on supporters to launch an anti-government movement, starting with withholding remittances. Following this, the government and PTI began a dialogue process, with two rounds of negotiations held to date.
During the press conference, Iqbal emphasized the importance of political stability for attracting foreign investment. He also criticized PTI leaders’ threats to raise Khan’s cases in international forums, asserting that the opposition party had become a tool for anti-state elements. “We never took our grievances over fabricated cases to the US,” he said, referencing cases against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders during Khan’s tenure as prime minister.
Earlier, Aleema Khan, Imran Khan’s sister, had warned of taking the cases against her brother to international institutions. Addressing PTI’s demands for Khan’s release through an executive order, Iqbal likened it to an “NRO,” a reference to the National Reconciliation Ordinance of 2007, which provided amnesty to individuals accused of corruption and other offenses.
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Iqbal reaffirmed that the federal government could not intervene to release Khan, stressing that the PTI founder, who faces numerous cases, must seek relief through the courts.
Despite the initiation of negotiations after months of political friction, tensions between the government and the opposition persist. The two sides held negotiation sessions on December 27, 2024, and January 2, 2025. During the last meeting, it was decided that the PTI would present its charter of demands in the next session after consulting Khan. The third round of talks is expected to take place following this consultation.