Imran Khan’s legal woes off the table as Pakistan opens talks with opposition

The Pakistani government has reiterated its commitment to dialogue with the opposition to resolve political tensions, but firmly ruled out including an amnesty for former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the discussions.

Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik stated that while constructive dialogue is essential for addressing the nation’s challenges, the criminal actions of Imran Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), will not be part of the conversation, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

"Constructive dialogue is critical to solving the country's issues, but the criminal activities of Khan are not open for debate," Malik said, according to the Express Tribune.

The minister defended the legal actions taken against Khan, emphasizing that they are based on concrete evidence. "No political charges have been filed against Khan. If anyone can prove otherwise, we are open to discussion," he added.

The government has scheduled another round of talks with the opposition for January 2, 2025. PTI and its allies have called for the release of all political prisoners, including Khan, and for the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024.

Imran Khan, who served as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022, has faced legal challenges following his ousting from office and his subsequent arrest earlier this year.

To recall, Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have been charged with illegally selling state gifts, adding to the list of legal challenges facing Khan.

The charges are part of the broader "Toshakhana" scandal, which involves the alleged unlawful sale of gifts worth over 140 million rupees (£501,000) that Khan received during his tenure from 2018 to 2022. The gifts, including diamond jewellery and several luxury watches, were kept in state custody.

Both Khan and Bibi deny the allegations. They were granted bail despite being sentenced to 14 years in prison on related charges earlier this year. Khan is also facing other charges, including incitement to violence linked to anti-government protests led by his party.

Since his ousting in 2022, Khan has been embroiled in legal disputes, with his supporters claiming the cases are politically motivated. The military denies these allegations.

By Aghakazim Guliyev