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Imran Khan Expresses Displeasure Over Salman Akram Raja’s Criticism
Imran Khan voices concerns over Salman Akram Raja’s criticism of senior PTI leaders after Adiala Jail meeting. Emphasizes unity and warns against internal blame games.
ND
by News Desk
2025-04-16
Imran Khan Expresses Displeasure Over Salman Akram Raja’s Criticism

Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister and chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has expressed his displeasure over the recent criticism made by the party's Secretary General Salman Akram Raja against senior leaders. The criticism stemmed from the controversy surrounding a meeting with Khan in Adiala Jail last week.

Background of the Issue

The disagreement began after the Adiala Jail administration prevented Khan's sister, Alia Khan, and other family members from meeting him, but allowed five lawyers, including Barrister Gauhar and Senator Ali Zafar, to meet the PTI leader. At the time, Salman Akram Raja was also not permitted to meet Imran Khan. This led Raja to publicly criticize the move, stating that those allowed to meet Khan were there “with the approval of the administration.”

However, this public statement didn’t sit well with other senior party leaders, particularly Barrister Gohar, who responded strongly to Raja’s remarks. Gohar reminded Raja that the party had never agreed to a boycott of meetings with Imran Khan under such circumstances, citing a previous incident in March 2024 when Raja was allowed to meet the former PM despite his family being barred.

Imran Khan’s Reaction

Sources close to the situation revealed that Imran Khan communicated his concerns to Salman Akram Raja through his lawyer, Salman Safdar, on Tuesday. Khan’s message to Raja was clear: "Political parties cannot be run like school classrooms." He emphasized the importance of unity within the party and urged against the blame game.

This internal party discord highlights the challenges within PTI as it navigates leadership disputes and external pressures.

Party Matters Discussed

During his meeting with Barrister Gohar on Tuesday, Imran Khan also discussed sensitive party matters. The former Prime Minister advised Gohar that it was not the right time to formally remove a US-based PTI leader from the party’s political and core committees, but directed that he should not be invited to committee meetings moving forward.

According to an insider, the leader in question has been absent from key party forums, and his behavior has caused growing dissatisfaction among senior leaders. The issue of Senator Azam Swati was also briefly discussed. Imran Khan reiterated that he had never authorized Swati or anyone else to seek personal relief on his behalf, despite the latter’s ongoing controversy.

Imran Khan's Stance on Talks

Despite the internal discord, Imran Khan reiterated his willingness to engage in talks with the military establishment for the sake of the country’s progress. He emphasized that his position on talks remains unchanged, aiming for democracy, rule of law, and the betterment of Pakistan.

 
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