Former Prime Minister and founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has firmly rejected an offer to be moved to his Bani Gala residence in Islamabad to complete the remainder of his prison sentence. The PTI leader has insisted that he will not accept any such arrangement until all individuals detained without trial are released.
Khan’s lawyer, Faisal Chaudhry, spoke to reporters outside Adiala Jail, revealing that the former Prime Minister had been presented with the option to serve his sentence at his residence but declined the offer. According to Chaudhry, Khan made it clear that he would remain in prison until the government released those detained without trial, underscoring his commitment to justice and human rights.
This development follows reports last month speculating that the government might offer Khan house arrest as part of a broader deal, in which he would be expected to refrain from challenging the political system and abandon his stance on agitation-based politics. These claims emerged amidst ongoing talks between PTI and the federal government regarding the release of political prisoners and the formation of a commission to investigate the events of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024.
Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, also confirmed his refusal to engage in any deals, stating that her brother had already spent over a year in prison and saw no reason to negotiate his release. She emphasized that his legal matters had been addressed and firmly rejected suggestions that he was seeking personal relief.
In a show of solidarity, PTI Senator Shibli Faraz also denied claims that Khan was pursuing personal concessions in negotiations with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) coalition government. Faraz reiterated that Khan remained focused on the broader issue of political prisoners and justice, rather than seeking any preferential treatment for himself.
The refusal to accept house arrest underscores Khan’s unyielding stance on the release of political detainees and his commitment to confronting what he considers injustices within the political system.
