“Release Me on Parole and I’ll Broker Peace Between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” Imran Khan Says
ISLAMABAD (M.Saleem ) Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has offered to mediate between Islamabad and Kabul — saying he could help establish peace between the two neighbours if temporarily released on parole, his legal team and family members told reporters on Wednesday. The appeal came as Islamabad and Afghan authorities…
ISLAMABAD (M.Saleem )
Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has offered to mediate between Islamabad and Kabul — saying he could help establish peace between the two neighbours if temporarily released on parole, his legal team and family members told reporters on Wednesday.
The appeal came as Islamabad and Afghan authorities agreed to a short, temporary ceasefire following the deadliest border clashes in years — an arrangement Islamabad says will run for 48 hours to allow dialogue and de-escalation. Government officials and diplomatic channels are reported to be under pressure to convert the truce into broader talks.
Barrister Gohar and other PTI spokespeople, speaking after meetings with Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, quoted him as saying that a conflict between two Muslim neighbours serves no one’s interest and that disputes are better resolved through negotiations than confrontation. His supporters say he could use his regional contacts and political influence to open back-channel talks.
The offer is likely to complicate an already fraught domestic political landscape: Imran Khan remains in custody on multiple charges, and any parole decision would be both legally sensitive and politically explosive. Observers say Islamabad would have to weigh potential diplomatic gains against domestic security and legal considerations.
Background — recent days have seen a sharp escalation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier, with both sides reporting casualties and mounting international calls for restraint. Regional and global actors are watching closely to see if the temporary ceasefire can be transformed into a sustained de-escalation and whether outside mediation offers — including Imran Khan’s — gain traction.
