The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) negotiation team has been granted permission to meet with its founder, Imran Khan, at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, Geo News reported on Sunday (Jan 12), citing sources.
The meeting, which was scheduled for 2 pm on Sunday, is reported to be underway at the time of writing this.
The crucial development came after the PTI negotiation committee's contact with National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
Following PTI leader Omar Ayub sending a message concerning the negotiations, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq reached out to the PTI leaders to discuss the matter.
Khan's PTI had on Tuesday put forward its demand to the government to provide it “unfettered” access to the jailed former prime minister in Rawalpindi’s prison.
“The government has arranged a meeting of the negotiation committee at Adiala Jail following the Speaker’s message,” the National Assembly’s spokesperson said.
Also read: Former PM Imran Khan claims 'was offered to leave Pakistan for 3 years'
Pakistan defence minister rejects claims of moving Khan from jail to residence
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif denied claims by Khan's PTI party which claimed that the government has offered to move the former Pakistan PM from Adiala Jail to Bani Gala or place him under house arrest, as per The Express Tribune reports.
Asif dismissed the claims, calling them baseless, and said, "No such proposal has been made, nor is there any pressure for his release."
He further accused PTI of forging narratives for political mileage.
"These claims are entirely unfounded and are part of PTI's ongoing attempts to mislead the public," he said as per The Express Tribune report.
"Imran Khan's future will be decided by the courts, not by the government. I have no connection with the judiciary and am certainly not a fortune-teller to predict court outcomes," he added.
He then denounced Khan's party over its alleged attempts to destabilise the country and said that "all their efforts to harm Pakistan have failed."
(With inputs from agencies)