Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja has stated that recent comments made by Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, represent her personal views and not the party’s official stance.
Speaking on Dawn News’ program “Doosra Rukh” with host Nadir Gurmani, Raja clarified that Aleema Khan’s statement was that of a concerned sister rather than a political representative. “PTI will not back away from its principled position,” he asserted. “Imran Khan has made it clear that he is ready to do anything for the sake of the Constitution and the law. His personal interests are not important; what matters is taking Pakistan towards prosperity.”
Raja emphasized that any negotiations must be direct, rooted in constitutional and legal principles, and must reflect the rights of the people. “Threats do exist,” he added, “but they are not necessarily verbal or explicit. Sisters worry when they are denied contact with their brother for months. The situation reflects a fascist environment, which concerns everyone.”
Addressing a question about possible legal relief for PTI, Raja said hope is not the focus — commitment is. “We are duty-bound to pursue justice and continue our struggle in the courts. I have no real expectations. Our case should have been heard three weeks ago. We were promised every week that it would be scheduled, but it wasn’t. If it’s not heard on the 5th either, what can we say? We will record our protest.”
Raja criticized the Lahore High Court’s decision to delay bail until a polygraph test is conducted, calling it problematic. “This implies that the prosecution or the government has had no evidence for two years and now wants to rely on machines to fabricate it. Who will trust such machine-generated evidence?”
He concluded by warning that the current system is pushing matters to a point where decisions may be made on the streets rather than through legal institutions. “We want decisions to be made at the table, in line with the Constitution and the law. But the arrogance and delusion of this system blind it to the fact that it is built on lies and deceit.”
Aleema Khan had earlier made headlines for her remarks outside the Islamabad High Court, where she questioned what Imran Khan would need to give up in order to be released. “If there’s a give-and-take involved, then tell us clearly what you want. We’re ready to talk face-to-face — not behind closed doors,” she had said.
