The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has firmly rejected any suggestion of releasing former prime minister Imran Khan on parole.
Speaking to a private television channel, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui questioned the rationale behind such a proposal, saying, “Who else has ever been released on parole under these circumstances? Why should Imran Khan be given special treatment?”
Citing a precedent, Siddiqui noted that when India carried out the Balakot airstrike in 2019, then-premier Nawaz Sharif was in Kot Lakhpat Jail, yet no request was made for his parole. “There was no demand for his release to engage in national matters,” he added.
The senator argued that the PTI still has a functioning chairman, and there is no legitimate need for the release of its founder. “Speculations about Imran Khan being shifted to Bani Gala are baseless,” Siddiqui said. “The cases against him are not political; they are legitimate and well-founded.”
He clarified the distinction between political victimization and actual criminal offenses. “Political cases involve issues like unclaimed salaries or fabricated evidence. But the Toshakhana and fake trust cases are of a different nature,” Siddiqui stated. “Being a political leader does not automatically qualify someone as a political prisoner — it depends on the charges.”