By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Barrister Salman Safdar, the lawyer representing former prime minister Imran Khan in the Al Qadir Trust case, met Thursday with the imprisoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder inside Adiala jail, one day after the Islamabad High Court ordered prison authorities to arrange the encounter.
Safdar left the facility without speaking to reporters waiting outside. The court’s directive, issued on Wednesday, specifically allowed him to discuss the proceedings of the Al Qadir case with Khan, in which he is acting as the former premier’s counsel. It was the second time this year that Safdar had been permitted a meeting with Khan at the direction of the Islamabad High Court; the previous visit followed concerns raised about the politician’s health.
Separately, Sheikh Waqas Akram, the information secretary of Khan’s party, said the former prime minister had directed PTI to postpone a large public meeting that had been scheduled for Thursday at Liaqat Bagh in Rawalpindi. Akram said Khan cited the prevailing national and international situation and told the party he would personally announce a new date for the protest. “Imran Khan has said that he will himself inform about the new date of the protest,” Akram told journalists.
The developments came as leaders of a broader opposition alliance gathered in the capital to assess the country’s political crisis, regional security tensions and the continuing detention of Khan and other opposition figures. The meeting of the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan, or TTAP — the Movement for the Protection of Pakistan’s Constitution — was held at the residence of its chairman, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who also serves as leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.
Attendees included Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, leader of the opposition in the Senate; Salman Akram Raja, secretary general of PTI; Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, chairman of PTI; Firdous Shamim Naqvi; Sahibzada Hassan Raza, head of the Sunni Ittehad Council; Syed Zain Shah; Sajid Khan Tareen; Muhammad Zubair; Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar; Dr. Ammar Ali Jan; Hussain Ahmed Yousafzai; and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry.
In a formal declaration issued after the meeting and shared with the media, the alliance outlined a detailed assessment of both domestic and international challenges. Participants said they had held “detailed deliberations” on the current political situation in Pakistan, recent regional developments — particularly escalating tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States — the evolving situation in the Middle East, conditions in Balochistan, strategies for upcoming protests and what they described as ongoing injustices faced by Khan.
The alliance welcomed a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States, expressing hope that both sides would fully adhere to it and that it would open the way for lasting peace in the region. Sustainable peace in the Middle East, the declaration stated, would require a just resolution of issues concerning not only Iran but also Lebanon, Syria and Gaza. The movement reaffirmed its commitment to playing a constructive role in promoting global peace.
Participants also expressed appreciation for the Pakistan-Afghanistan dialogue recently held in China, describing meaningful engagement and dialogue with neighboring countries as the most effective path toward regional stability and development. The TTAP reiterated its long-standing position that disputes must be resolved through dialogue rather than military confrontation, guided by principles of national security and regional peace.
Turning to domestic affairs, the alliance urged the Pakistani government to promote political dialogue, the rule of law and national reconciliation. It stressed that respect for the public mandate must remain the foundation of national progress and called on all political forces to unite and begin serious negotiations to overcome the country’s internal crises. The participants voiced grave concern over the situation in Balochistan. They demanded the immediate release of the leadership and workers of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, the withdrawal of cases against Sardar Akhtar Mengal and an end to what they called the exploitation of the province’s resources.
The declaration explicitly welcomed the Islamabad High Court’s recent initiative in facilitating meetings with Khan. It urged the Supreme Court and the high courts to conduct daily hearings on all related cases, bail applications and petitions concerning such meetings. The alliance further demanded the immediate restoration of access for Khan to his lawyers, family members and political associates, and called on Adiala jail authorities to expedite the completion of any legal documentation required for pending Supreme Court proceedings.
Looking ahead, the TTAP announced plans for nationwide public gatherings at the district level on April 25. The protests, the declaration said, would be held in support of constitutional supremacy, the release of political prisoners including Khan, and the provision of economic relief to the public. The alliance also strongly condemned what it described as the mistreatment of several detained political leaders and workers, naming Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Iman Mazari, Hadi Ali Chattha, Ali Wazir and Samad Wazir. It demanded their immediate and unconditional release.
Khan, who was removed from power in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022 and has faced multiple legal cases since, remains a central figure in the country’s polarized politics. His party and its allies have repeatedly accused the government of using the judiciary and law-enforcement agencies to sideline political opponents — allegations the government has denied.
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