RAWALPINDI: The interim chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Barrister Gohar on Tuesday called on the country’s power brokers to resolve the ongoing political crisis, accusing both external forces and internal party dynamics of fuelling the “begging” for a meeting with Imran Khan. Talking to reporters outside Adiala Jail, a visibly perturbed Gohar said, “Those in power, be generous. I beg for a meeting to change the circumstances.” About any directives from the jailed party’s founding chairman, he said that he had not received any directive from Imran Khan that no discussions will take place from today onward. He clarified that PTI had never formally called off discussions. He also revealed that the party has yet to decide how to respond to the government’s offer for negotiations. His remarks came in response to the continued ban on meetings with Imran Khan in jail, with no one from the party, including his family, being allowed to meet the jailed former prime minister. Gohar also expressed frustration with the situation, noting that every Tuesday, when PTI leaders and Khan’s family visit Adiala Jail for scheduled meetings with Imran Khan, they are forced to wait outside the prison without explanation, only to be turned away once the allotted visiting hours expire. “The system has become stagnant for us,” he said, referring to the ongoing legal battles faced by Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and the back-to-back disqualification of 16 other PTI members of parliament. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t have to wait outside like this.” He expressed regret that while tensions with external adversaries have been resolved, the challenges within the country remain unresolved, a deeply troubling situation. He further warned that with the new year approaching, 2026 would likely bring continued penalties for the party, as there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Regarding the recent visit of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Punjab, he said that Sohail Afridi’s visit to Lahore was not part of any party-wide consultations but was instead based on a directive from Imran Khan. Regarding protests, he emphasised that Imran Khan had made it clear that such actions were a constitutional right. He added that Sohail Afridi had been tasked with organising the demonstrations. He also addressed the stalled negotiations, revealing that Mahmood Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas had been authorised to lead the talks, with Achakzai responsible for drafting a potential roadmap. Gohar questioned the sudden barriers preventing party leaders from meeting with Imran Khan, calling for authorities to at least allow Bushra Bibi to visit him. Tuesday had been designated as the weekly visitation day for Khan’s family and legal team. However, tensions flared when Khan’s sisters – Aleema Khan, DrUzma Khan, and Noreen Khan – along with Barrister Gohar, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Shahid Khattak, Umair Niazi, and other party workers, were blocked by barricades near Adiala Jail. The group staged a sit-in at Factory Naka after being stopped from advancing towards the jail. Talking to reporters, Aleema Khan declared that the sit-in would continue until they were granted access to meet her brother. “Even if everyone else leaves, my sisters and I will remain. We do not want anyone to be subjected to torture,” she added. As of the filing of this report, the sit-in by Khan’s family, PTI leaders, and party workers was ongoing. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025