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ISLAMABAD: Backchannel contacts between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the authorities have witnessed a significant development with Imran Khan’s family reportedly becoming directly involved in the process for the first time, raising expectations of a possible breakthrough in the coming days.
The involvement of the former prime minister’s family is being viewed as an important development in efforts to address the mounting political tensions and resolve some of the issues confronting Imran Khan, his family and the PTI through dialogue rather than continued confrontation. Sources familiar with the developments suggest that the recent contacts have already yielded some progress, including the facilitation of a meeting involving members of the family and sisters of Imran Khan. The development is being seen as a potentially positive step towards creating an environment conducive to further engagement.
There are also expectations that the coming days could bring some tangible results, with the possibility of at least two of Imran Khan’s sisters being released in the next few days. However, no formal announcement or confirmation regarding their release has been made so far.
The emerging backchannel initiative is understood to involve important interlocutors from the PTI side as well as certain government and official quarters. The authorities’ representatives involved in the contacts, however, are not willing to disclose their identities or publicly acknowledge their role at this stage.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan is understood to be playing an important role in developing the contacts. When approached for comment, he declined to discuss any aspect of the reported engagement, saying that he could not speak about such matters.
Imran Khan’s brother-in-law Ahad Khan, in a talk with media persons, is heard admitting these backchannel contacts.
The latest development comes against the backdrop of an increasingly strained political environment in which repeated confrontations, public exchanges and harsh rhetoric have failed to produce any meaningful breakthrough. Instead, the continuing deadlock has added to the difficulties faced by the PTI leadership, Imran Khan’s family and the authorities.
Those familiar with the initiative believe that the involvement of Imran Khan’s family could help open additional channels of communication and create space for a more constructive approach. The underlying objective appears to be to address contentious issues through negotiations and mutual engagement rather than allowing political differences to deepen further.
The participation of family members is particularly significant given the nature of the issues surrounding Imran Khan and his relatives, which have increasingly become part of the broader political confrontation.
While it remains premature to predict the outcome of the ongoing contacts, the reported progress, the facilitation of a meeting and possibility of some immediate relief suggest that the backchannel initiative may be entering a more consequential phase.
The focus of these contacts is to translate them into concrete steps in the coming days. They can pave the way for a wider understanding between the PTI and the authorities, a source said, adding that if successful, the emerging initiative could mark a shift in an otherwise prolonged confrontation, offering a possible opening for political de-escalation through dialogue.
