Imran Khan rejects return to parliamentary committees

PTI founder Imran Khan has rejected a proposal that his party return to parliamentary committees, according to reports by Daily Times and Daily Pakistan citing sources and Geo News. He also called for a wider opposition alliance that includes Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The positions emerged from a meeting at Adiala Jail with his lawyers, Barrister Salman Safdar and Latif Khosa. Latif Khosa gave his opinion during the meeting and suggested PTI reconsider staying away from the committees, according to the reports.

Khan was quoted as saying that the present government and parliament should face a hard stance and a boycott. Geo News, as cited by Daily Pakistan, reported him saying that contact or cooperation with the government gives it legitimacy (translated from Urdu).

On the alliance, Khan asked opposition leaders to contact Fazlur Rehman and explore cooperation with his party. He said opposition leaders, not PTI alone, should make the decisions for a larger alliance. He kept the authority for major political choices with Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas.

Complaints were raised in the meeting about PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, according to sources. The reports do not say how Khan responded.

The meeting also covered the release of family members and interference in politics. Khan said his family has no connection with political activity, and that he was willing to pursue his wife's release and medical treatment.

On the proposed 28th Amendment, Daily Times reported that his stance matches the one on the 26th and 27th Amendments. Daily Pakistan reported he said he would judge it when a draft appears, since there is no draft yet. Latif Khosa is expected to brief Achakzai and Nasir Abbas on the meeting.