Bani Gala residence: No idea about placing IK under house arrest: Rana

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Thursday said that he had no idea about putting the incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan under house arrest at his Bani Gala residence.

The capital was rife with rumours that Imran Khan had been given the option – by the powers that be – of either opting for house arrest at his Bani Gala residence or being shifted to any jail in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where his party is in power, but he must not raise his voice against the incumbent regime.

Talking to reporters, the PML-N leader denied the reports about the deal to shift Imran Khan to Bani Gala and said that “to the best of my knowledge, no such offer was made.”

He mentioned KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur’s positive stance on the importance of resolving issues through dialogue and said that the way the KP chief minister spoke was commendable.

He said that Omar Ayub– the opposition leader in National Assembly – pointed out the release of their party workers during the meeting, but the release of prisoners is a sub judice matter as it has nothing to do with the government.

When asked about the pardon granted to some of pro-Imran Khan supporters involved in May 9 incident, he said that the military has its own procedures for granting pardons and the decision was not a direct result of the ongoing negotiations.

According to the official statement, the PTI committee has reiterated its demand for the release of the party’s founding chairman Imran Khan and all workers. Additionally, the party also called for a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9, 2023 and November 26, 2024.

The statement added that before presenting the charter of demands, the PTI committee will consult with the party’s founder.

The party maintains that one more consultation is necessary to finalise their demands before the 3rd meeting which is scheduled for next week.

The PTI has also urged the government not to file additional cases against political prisoners and to ensure that existing cases are decided in accordance with the law. The party has stated that it will not hesitate to launch a protest movement if its demands are not met.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025