Imran Khan’s family joins backchannel talks, raising hopes of a breakthrough
File photo: former prime minister Imran Khan at the United Nations General Assembly in 2019 (Wikimedia Commons) — not from today's contacts.
ISLAMABAD: Backchannel contacts between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the authorities have taken a significant turn, with former prime minister Imran Khan’s family becoming directly involved for the first time — a development that has raised hopes of a possible breakthrough in the coming days.
A meeting arranged, releases expected
Sources familiar with the contacts say progress has already been made, including the facilitation of a meeting involving members of the family and Imran Khan’s sisters. There are also expectations that at least two of his sisters could be released within the next few days, though no formal announcement or confirmation has been made so far.
Gohar playing a key role
The initiative is understood to involve important interlocutors from the PTI side as well as government and official quarters, though the authorities’ representatives are not willing to disclose their identities or publicly acknowledge their role at this stage. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan is playing an important role in developing the contacts; when approached for comment, he declined to discuss any aspect of the reported engagement. Imran Khan’s brother-in-law, Ahad Khan, was heard acknowledging the backchannel contacts in remarks to media persons.
A possible opening after a long deadlock
The development comes against the backdrop of a prolonged political standoff in which repeated confrontations and harsh rhetoric have failed to produce any breakthrough, adding to the difficulties faced by the PTI leadership, Imran Khan’s family and the authorities. The focus now is to translate the contacts into concrete steps in the coming days, which could pave the way for a wider understanding and an opening for political de-escalation through dialogue. It remains premature to predict the outcome, sources say, but the family’s involvement could open additional channels of communication. The Islamabad High Court has separately ordered meetings between Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi and their lawyers, while the government maintains that any release can come only through the courts.
