The government has offered the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a deal under which it would shift former prime minister Imran Khan to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and later to his Bani Gala residence if the party abandoned its planned Islamabad long march.
According to reports, the government made the offer through backchannel contacts with the PTI leadership.
Under the reported proposal, authorities would first shift Imran Khan from Adiala Jail Rawalpindi to PIMS and later allow him to stay at his Bani Gala residence. The government also offered to allow Khan’s family members to meet him at the hospital.
However, reports suggest that the government would take these measures only after September 27, the date set for the PTI’s planned Islamabad march.
The “offer” has also highlighted the deep mistrust between the two sides. The government has denied making any such offer, according to a report published by a leading English-language daily. PTI leaders, meanwhile, have continued to insist that they will not abandon their protest without concrete steps.
The political crisis has also revived debate over the government’s decision-making authority. Critics argue that the government, which they say came to power with the backing of the country’s powerful military establishment, lacks the authority to make major political decisions on its own. They contend that the establishment remains the real power behind such initiatives and is making offers through intermediaries.
PTI Islamabad Long March and Deal for Imran Khan:
The PTI has yet to abandon its September 27 plan, and the prospects of calling off the Islamabad march currently appear slim. The party is likely to maintain pressure until it sees concrete action on its demands.
At the same time, the reported proposal has raised questions about how much political space the authorities are prepared to give Imran Khan, whom his supporters regard as the country’s most popular politician since Pakistan’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The government has also tightened security in Islamabad ahead of the planned march and sealed several routes with heavy containers. Reports say authorities have warned transport companies and owners of heavy machinery in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against providing vehicles or equipment to the PTI, with action threatened against those who comply. The PTI used heavy machinery and cranes during its previous long march.
Supporters expect the PTI will announce its detailed strategy for the September 27 long march today, setting the stage for another major political confrontation in the federal capital.
