ISLAMABAD: A spokesman for the Ministry of Interior on Saturday contradicted the contents of a Dawn report that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was engaged with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in background discussions over the march slated for Aug 14.

The spokesman in a press statement termed “totally baseless” the report that the interior minister had secretly visited PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s Bani Gala residence in this connection.

Interestingly, the spokesman not only contradicted the report about the minister’s meeting with Mr Khan, but also denied the claims of Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid that Chaudhry Nisar had engaged the PTI chief and a couple of meetings had already been taken place between the two.

“The minister of interior is not engaged with the PTI chairman on the issue of Aug 14 march at any level or at any place,” the spokesman concluded.

Published in Dawn, Aug 3rd, 2014