Gohar defends greeting with ex-army chief Bajwa after photo draws criticism

PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said on Tuesday that he had only exchanged greetings with former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa at a wedding. He was speaking to reporters on Adiala Road in Rawalpindi.

A picture of Gohar shaking hands with Bajwa circulated widely on social media last week. It drew criticism from PTI supporters and party officials. Some critics accused Bajwa of playing a role in the removal of the PTI government in 2022, and some called for Gohar to resign.

Gohar condemned what he called propaganda against him over the encounter. He said: "Enemies can become friends and friends can become enemies with the passage of time. Hatred should come to an end."

On local government elections, Gohar said the PTI would take part and rejected a boycott. Candidates have been told to prepare nomination papers for the three constituencies in Islamabad. He also said the party does not want confrontation with any state institution.

Gohar welcomed an Islamabad High Court order on meetings with Imran Khan and said it should be implemented this time. He said court orders had not been followed for the past two years, and called for implementation of the Supreme Court's Aug 18 order. He said the information Barrister Salman Safdar brought after meeting Imran Khan about his health was not encouraging.

Gohar said the PTI remains in touch with the government and the interior minister, but there are currently no negotiations or backchannel discussions. He said dialogue is necessary to ease political tensions.

He said talks with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman were held in connection with a proposed All Parties Conference, but it was too early to discuss a joint movement. Gohar also said governor's rule or an emergency cannot replace a democratic government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and demanded an end to governor's rule there.