Naqvi Dismisses Imran Khan Deal Speculation

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has dismissed speculation about a deal involving PTI founder Imran Khan, saying the former prime minister will receive only the relief that the courts grant him. The Imran Khan deal talk has circulated for days, fuelled by a meeting between Khan and his lawyers at Adiala Jail and the release of two of his sisters from detention.

Naqvi spoke to reporters in Lahore on Thursday during a visit to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). He said no behind-the-scenes arrangement was being negotiated..

“Rumours have been circulating for the past day or two about what might happen and what might not. Whatever their [Imran Khan and his family members’] legal rights are, they will get whatever relief the courts grant them. Everything else remains unchanged,” he said.

Naqvi had already dismissed the talk once this week, calling the reports “good stories” with a life of two to three days, according to The Nation.

Imran Khan deal: why the talk started

The speculation followed a meeting between Khan and his lawyers at Adiala Jail on Wednesday, ordered by the Islamabad High Court. Imran Khan has since backed Barrister Gohar Ali Khan’s push for dialogue, urging that political disputes be settled through talks rather than confrontation.

Two of Khan’s sisters, Uzma and Noreen, were then released after their extended detention orders were withdrawn.

Naqvi’s answer closes that line of speculation for now. He drew a clear line between legal relief and political settlement. The courts, he said, will decide what relief Khan and his family receive. Nothing else has changed.

Referendum and reset also raised

Naqvi used the same press talk to press ahead with his proposal for a referendum on new provinces, saying the public should settle the debate on creating new administrative units. He has already proposed a public vote to settle the debate, and he repeated the idea on Thursday, assuring parties they would be taken into confidence before any decision.

The proposal has split the ruling coalition. The PPP has strongly opposed the creation of new provinces in Sindh, while Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has argued that Pakistan could have as many as 12 provinces if the exercise is based on administrative needs.

Naqvi also responded to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s call for a “political reset” and unity among parties. “Bilawal and I are almost on the same page. He has talked about a political reset, while my suggestion is to reset many other things too,” he said.

Rana Sanaullah has rejected claims linking the Adiala meeting to the 28th Amendment, the constitutional change that sits at the centre of the new provinces debate. Imran’s own message from jail, relayed by his party, was to stick firmly to the party’s ideology.

Naqvi later flew to Nawabshah for a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari, which added to the speculation he has now dismissed.

Fazl residence notice defended

He also defended a Capital Development Authority notice concerning the residence of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. The campaign, he said, had been under way for months and was not directed against any particular individual.

For now, Naqvi has shut down the deal talk while keeping the provinces debate alive.

Frequently asked questions

Did Naqvi confirm a deal for Imran Khan?

No. He dismissed the speculation and said Khan and his family will get only the relief the courts grant them. He said everything else remains unchanged.

What did Naqvi propose on new provinces?

He proposed a referendum so the public can settle the debate on creating new administrative units. He said political parties would be taken into confidence before any decision.

What did Naqvi say about Bilawal’s political reset?

He said he and Bilawal were almost on the same page. Bilawal had called for a reset to steer the country out of its economic crisis, while Naqvi said his suggestion was to reset many other things too.