MANSEHRA: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Azam Khan Swati reaffirmed his loyalty on oath to party’s founding chairman Imran Khan and denied being released from jail through any deal with the establishment.

“I am still making every possible effort to bring Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir and PTI founding chairman Imran Khan to negotiation table, as the former is key to peace and eliminating militancy and terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan,” he said while holding the Holy Quran in his hands in a video message released on Sunday.

Mr Swati, who strongly condemned the unprofessional behaviour of certain social media bloggers for spreading biased and speculative commentary, said that Imran Khan wanted to reconcile with Army Chief Gen Asim Munir in the larger national interest.

“Both Mr Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi understand the importance of resolving issues through dialogue, which is why the former premier believes that if Sulah-i-Hudaybiyyah (the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah) could be signed, then their issues too can be resolved peacefully,” he said.

The former PTI senator, who returned to media spotlight after accusing lawmakers from Mansehra of corruption upon his release from Adiala Jail, said that he had previously attempted to bring the army chief to negotiation table through the then president Dr Arif Alvi and one of his teachers.

Mr Swati said that he had made both personal and financial sacrifices for Imran Khan and for the betterment of the country. His statement comes amid speculation surrounding his release, with critics suggesting it was result of a behind-the-scenes deal. However, he vehemently denied these allegations, asserting his unwavering loyalty to the PTI leadership.

“I have no links with any intelligence agency and other brasses and had even convinced Imran Khan to cancel the public rally scheduled for August 22, 2024, as the country risked plunging into chaos due to a religious movement at that time,” he said.

He said that key party leaders including Umar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had approached him to meet Imran Khan and persuade him to postpone the planned rally.

TOLL PLAZA: Civil society organisations, traders, transporters and lawyers on Sunday demanded of the federal government to remove toll tax collection plaza on Karakoram Highway near here.

“Transporters and motorists have already been paying toll tax at four points. This is unjust, and the government should remove the plaza on KKH here,” Barrister Sangeen Sultan Khan told a press conference.

He said that National Highway Authority had conditionally reinstalled the toll plaza at Khatain Da Galla on KKH, after people had dismantled it many years ago.

He said they would not only hold street protests but also file a petition in the Peshawar High Court for removal of the toll tax plaza.

Meanwhile, transporters also held a separate press conference demanding removal of the toll tax plaza here.

“The government has repeatedly increased toll tax, putting an extra burden on transporters,” Jan Alam, president of traders’ body, said.

Pervez Khan, the general secretary of the association, said that transporters would actively participate in civil society’s protest movements to remove the toll tax plaza.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2025