PTI to relaunch ‘Release Imran Khan’ movement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to relaunch a nationwide movement demanding the release of its founding chairman, Imran Khan.

Sources say the decision to re-launch release Imran Khan movement was made during a high-level meeting in Peshawar, which included party presidents and general secretaries from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir.

The party agreed to start a protest drive, with the final plan of action to be announced after approval from the central leadership and political committee.

The last such movement was launched by PTI on November 24 last year, which had led to clashes with the government and numerous arrest of key party leaders including Bushra Bibi, spouse of Imran Khan.

The protests were not successful in achieving their immediate goal of releasing Imran Khan. 

Earlier, PTI dismissed media reports suggesting that Imran Khan had agreed to hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Some reports claimed that the PM had extended a dialogue offer and Khan had accepted it, instructing Barrister Gohar to proceed — but with a condition to avoid media attention.

Another U-turn: Imran Khan ‘willing to talk’ to PM Shehbaz

Party sources denied the reports, saying no such talks had taken place and previous attempts failed due to media speculation. “We tried to negotiate with the government and JUI-F’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the past, but media hype disrupted the process. Currently, no offer is on the table,” a senior PTI leader told reporters.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar also ruled out any deal regarding Imran Khan’s legal cases. “There is no deal. But I believe political issues should be resolved through dialogue,” he said.

He added that Imran Khan’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, are in regular contact with their father and have confirmed no agreement has been made.