Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced a comprehensive ban on all meetings with Imran Khan at Adiala Jail. The minister labelled the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder an “extremist consumed by war hysteria.”
Tarar made this declaration on Friday during a television broadcast. His statement came after similar criticism from the military’s media wing earlier that day.
Tarar stated unequivocally that all prison meetings with Khan are now prohibited. “There are no meetings; all meetings are banned,” he said. The minister warned that the government would take firm action against any attempts to disrupt order outside the prison facility. He emphasised it was time to restore the state’s full authority.
The minister explained that jail authorities reported political discussions and instructions occurring during these meetings. He asserted that the government would not permit anyone to advance an enemy’s agenda from within the jail. Tarar accused Khan and his party of attempting to sabotage Pakistan’s economy and inciting violence against military installations on May 9.
Tarar escalated his criticism by claiming Imran Khan holds a “Taliban-like mindset.” He stated the former prime minister considers terrorists his friends. The information minister questioned how long even PTI’s own members would tolerate such extremism.
He revealed the federal government is seriously considering imposing governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where PTI holds power. Tarar also announced plans to file cases against individuals creating anti-state narratives.
The minister completely ruled out political reconciliation with PTI under its current stance. He stated there would be no dialogue with anyone promoting chaos or extremist thinking. Tarar said the PTI had wasted its chance for talks.
However, he suggested a path forward might exist if PTI members apologised in parliament and distanced themselves from Khan’s statements. The minister made clear that any potential negotiation could not include the incarcerated founder of the party.
In a separate interview, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif supported the hardline position. He said a recent interview by Khan’s sister with Indian media had “nailed the final nail in the coffin” for PTI. Asif contrasted PTI’s actions with the conduct of other major political parties, stating that neither the PPP nor PML-N had ever crossed red lines against the state.
