Rawalpindi, May 22, 2025: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced on Thursday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan is willing to initiate dialogue in the national interest, emphasizing that restoring PTI’s mandate is essential not just for the party but for Pakistan’s democratic stability.
Speaking to journalists outside Adiala Jail after meeting the imprisoned PTI leader, Gandapur said this was his first meeting with Khan in two months. He briefed the former prime minister on provincial governance and the upcoming budget, sharing that Khan remains resolute in his political vision.
“The darkest hour is just before dawn,” Imran Khan reportedly told Gandapur, warning that a state cannot be governed through force.
Gandapur called for speedy judicial proceedings, reiterating PTI’s stance that the charges against Khan are politically motivated. He demanded that the courts hear and dismiss them on merit.
“Let every institution fulfill its constitutional duty. We stand firmly behind our leader’s words, which represent the unified stance of our party,” said Gandapur.
He further warned that if PTI leaders are continuously denied access to Imran Khan, the party would reconsider its cooperation with the federal government, including its support on critical issues such as IMF compliance.
The chief minister decried the suppression of political dissent, asserting that PTI’s protests have remained peaceful despite violent crackdowns.
“It is easy to criticise from a podium, but far more difficult to serve the people. We protested peacefully and were met with bullets,” Gandapur said. “Our aim is not to endanger our workers but to protect their democratic rights.”
He concluded by affirming that Khan had reappointed him to lead the protest movement, and that the party’s fight remains constitutional and focused on justice.
“We will ensure the release of our leader by all legal and political means,” he vowed.
