Islamabad, May 27, 2025: In a dramatic appeal that laid bare Pakistan’s simmering political tensions, Aleema Khan, sister of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, publicly called on the country’s shadowy power brokers to negotiate a “give and take” arrangement for her brother’s freedom. Her remarks represent the most direct overture yet from Khan’s camp to Pakistan’s establishment since his incarceration.
Speaking to reporters outside the Islamabad High Court, Aleema painted a picture of systemic judicial interference, claiming her brother’s legal petitions were being mysteriously removed from court dockets. “These unseen forces keep hiding behind the curtains,” she declared. “Come forward and tell us what you want. If there’s a compromise to be made, let’s discuss it like responsible stakeholders.”
The emotional appeal revealed new details about Khan’s defiant stance in prison. “He told me, ‘I would rather spend my life behind bars than bow before tyrants,'” Aleema shared, portraying her brother as an unbroken political prisoner.
Aleema’s extraordinary statement comes amid growing institutional tensions. She alleged judges were facing unprecedented pressure in Khan’s cases, while parliamentarians sympathetic to PTI were being intimidated. Her remarks pointed to a broader pattern of what she called “hidden directives” paralyzing Pakistan’s democratic processes.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur escalated PTI’s confrontation with the federal government during the same press briefing. He denounced the 26th Constitutional Amendment as illegitimate, vowing to “throw it in the dustbin” of history. In fiery remarks, Gandapur renewed allegations of election rigging, claiming the February 8 polls were stolen through what he termed “Form-47 conspiracies.”
The KP chief minister highlighted his province’s economic achievements under PTI’s governance, contrasting it with other regions. “The IMF recognizes our surplus budget,” he asserted, while questioning why similar fiscal discipline hadn’t been achieved elsewhere. His comments underscored PTI’s strategy of positioning itself as both a victim of political persecution and a model of effective governance.
With a crucial court hearing scheduled for June 5, just before Eid, both statements signaled PTI’s preparation for a prolonged political battle. Gandapur promised explosive revelations about alleged legal manipulations during the upcoming proceedings, while Aleema’s unprecedented offer for dialogue suggested potential cracks in the year-long political stalemate.
