Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has rejected the PTI claim that former premier Imran Khan is being pressured to accept a ‘deal’.

In an interview with Independent Urdu, Mr Asif said, “There is no truth in claims of pressuring Imran Khan to come to the negotiating table.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament House the other day, Barrister Gohar had claimed that the way Mr Khan and Bushra Bibi were being treated in prison were attempts to pressure the PTI leader into accepting a deal.

“If there is any dialogue or communication, we will not hide it from you all […] Khan sahib himself said that there has been no contact with him [to strike a deal],” he added.

Rejecting the PTI chairman’s claim, Mr Asif told Independent Urdu that PTI was making such statements only to stay relevant. He added that “reputable people from the PTI had given statements that there was no deal taking place nor was there any contact” for it.

On relations between the PTI-led Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa government and the Centre, he said the federal government should not be the one to take the “initiative” of ruining the relations.

Mr Asif also expressed the hope that obstacles in the way of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project will be removed and it will be completed.

Talking to Geo News, he maintained that regional stakeholders must gather on one platform to protect their interests and termed the “successful visit” of Iranian Presi­dent Ebrahim Raisi to Pakis­tan a “great development”.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2024