Imran Khan ready to talk to institutions, parties on polls, says lawyer

• Imran Khan is completely fit and healthy in jail, says Shoaib Shaheen.
• Khan exercises for one hour daily in the jail, he says. 
• “A country cannot progress without political stability,” he conveys Khan's message. 

Following a meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in Attock Jail, his counsel Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Saturday said that the former prime minister was ready to talk to the institutions and the political parties on elections.

PTI legal team comprising Intezar Panjotha, Shoaib Shaheen, Naeem Panjotha Gohar Ali Khan and his personal physician Dr Faisal Sultan met the deposed premier — who was removed from office in April last year via a no-confidence motion — in the prison today after being granted permission by ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain.

“Khan was put in jail illegally, but despite all this, he is ready to talk to the institutions and the political parties,” Gohar Ali said, quoting the incarcerated former premier.

“The main focus of the talks would be holding elections within 90 days.”

Responding to a question, advocate Shaheen said Khan was “completely fit” and healthy in the jail. “A country cannot progress without political stability,” he conveyed Khan’s message.

“Khan was of the view that there is no respect for the courts in the county,” the PTI lawyer added. “I did not make any deal,” he said, citing the incarcerated premier.

Shaheen said that Khan exercises for one hour daily in the jail.

Quoting the PTI chairman, the lawyer said that Khan would not deviate from his path, adding that those whose assets were abroad benefited from the flight of dollar.

“My political struggle and sacrifice is for the nation,” he said, citing the former premier.

The deposed prime minister is currently spending his three years jail term in the jail in the Toshakhana case.

On August 5, the former prime minister was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore after being convicted in the Toshakhana case with accusations of misusing his 2018 to 2022 premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and worth more than Rs140 million ($635,000).

While the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had overturned a lower court's decision to jail him for three years with Rs100,000 fine — a judgment that kept him from contesting upcoming elections — he remains behind bars due to his judicial remand in the cipher case. 

The FIA had officially arrested the former prime minister in the cipher case earlier this month after booking him under Official Secrets Act.

Subsequently, the PTI chief was sent on judicial remand in the cipher case till August 30 at the same time while he was serving his sentence in the Toshakhana case at Attock jail.