‘I’m ready to have conversations and say this for 18 months’: Imran Khan

• Will talk to everyone except three parties: Imran Khan.
• Ex-PM appoints three PTI leaders for conducting negotiations.
• “They” have to make the things they want, he says.

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has said that he has been saying for 18 months that he is ready to hold negotiations but not to make an agreement.

Speaking to journalists at Adiala Prison, Khan said negotiations had always been part of politics but they were conducted with opponents and not friends. He reiterated that his party would hold talks with all but the three parties.

“Someone who wants to leave the country or avoid jail time makes a deal,” he said.

He appointed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz for conducting negotiations.

“I proposed these three names for talks and not for a deal,” the jailed leader insisted.

Khan also informed the media that “they” were going to file the fourth case against him regarding the Toshakhana gifts. They would have to file all the cases they wanted at once, he added.

A day ago, PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan had claimed that his party was not holding dialogue with anyone and had no special message for the talks.

Lawyer Gohar, speaking to journalists outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala prison, had said that the former prime minister was facing ‘politically motivated’ cases. He added that the PTI founder has requested the judiciary to rule on his cases at the earliest.

“Ali Amin Gandapur, Omar Ayub Khan and Shibli Faraz have been allowed to hold talks but not to make a deal,” Gohar said, adding that they were allowed to talk to anyone except three political parties.