ISLAMABAD  -  Incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday said that he, being a politician, believed in holding talks with his political opponents as a solution to all problems the country is facing.

Talking to reporters inside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, founding chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) Khan said that he had been an advocate of dialogue for the last 19 months. “A politician is always ready for a dialogue,” he said, adding that politicians always find a solution to the problem through negotiations.

The ex-premier made these remarks while answering questions whether he is ready for holding talks with his opponent political parties at a time when he is an advocate of having good relations with the neighbouring countries. Yesterday, Imran appeared in the court in the Adiala Jail for hearing of £190 million NCA and Toshakhana references filed by NAB.

The remarks of cricketer-turned politician came amidst ongoing criticism of him by his political opponents that he was inflex­ible and not ready to sit with them to hold talks to steer the country out of present political and economic crises. The PTI chief said that a three-member committee of his party had held a dialogue with the last govern­ment of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). But the dia­logue faced a deadlock after the then government led by Shehbaz Sharif had set a condition that elections could only be held after the retirement of then Chief Jus­tice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial.

The PTI chief went on to say that his biggest mistake was to take control of a weak government rather he should have gone into election once again. 

“We should’ve gone back to elections after the weak and con­trolled government was given to us in 2018. Granting extension to Gen Bajwa was my second mis­take,” Imran said.

He said that it should have been better for him to sit in the oppo­sition rather than forming a weak coalition government in the cen­tre. He further said that a hung parliament and weak government cannot find a solution to the coun­try’s weak economy. “A strong gov­ernment can bring reforms and improve the situation,” he said.

Imran further said that their candidates lost the election by 200 votes margin in the constituencies where more than 100,000 votes were polled and in 14 constitu­encies the margin of defeat was less than 3000 votes in the 2018 elections. While talking about the testimony of his principal sec­retary Azam Khan, Imran Khan said, Azam Khan spoke the truth in his testimony. He was kept for 40 days by ‘software update spe­cialists’. “Even the National Securi­ty Council had condemned the ci­pher. The original cipher is always kept by the foreign ministry. What I received was the summary of the cipher. We had already declassi­fied the cipher in the April 9 cabi­net meeting,” Imran explained. 

“Pakistani Army is our Army. General Bajwa told me once that 90 per cent Army supports PTI. I have problems only with the de­cisions they make. I’m a politician and politicians are always ready for table talk,” he said.

Imran Khan also criticized the speech of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif at a rally and said, they spent 16 months in government and took Pakistan where it is right now. How will they do anything different if they come into power again? He also said that he is sure that Nawaz will run away after de­feat in the elections. 

Talking on the recent escala­tion between Iran and Pakistan, he said that Israel wants Iran and Pakistan to fight. “Iran has made a mistake by attacking Pakistan. I’ve said earlier that the situation shouldn’t have come to this level. We need peace at border and po­litical stability,” Imran said adding Islamabad should maintain good relations with its neighbours, es­pecially Iran. He said that had In­dia not taken illegal steps in Occu­pied Kashmir on August 5, he as a premier would have tried his best to talk to the neighbouring coun­try. In a separate message for his supporters from jail, PTI chair­man-for-life Imran Khan called upon the people to come out in massive numbers on February 8 to cast their votes and “help re­alize his dream of true indepen­dence by freeing the country from the clutches of certified criminals.”

He made it clear that February 8 was the day to differentiate be­tween freedom and slavery.

“I firmly believe that my nation will stand with freedom and they will guard and secure true inde­pendence of Pakistan with the power of their vote in the forth­coming general elections,” he add­ed. Meanwhile, the hearing of the cases started. However, charges could not be framed against Im­ran Khan and his wife Bushra in the £190 million NCA case in the court of Judge M. Bashir.

Advocate Amjad Pervez, Pros­ecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi and Sohail Arif represented NAB in both the cases, while Latif Kho­sa, Shehbaz Khosa, and Usman Gill represented Imran Khan and Bushra in both the references.

Imran filed an application for including new lawyers in his le­gal team. Now Barrister Ali Zaf­ar, Sikandar Zulqarnain and Us­man Gill will represent Imran in the £190 million NCA case. Imran argued before the court that he couldn’t accept the charges in the absence of his lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar. His lawyer can summarise the technicalities in the charges framed against him, he said. 

On this, the judge didn’t frame the changes and adjourned the hearing till January 24.

Moreover, the statement of As­sistant Commissioner, Islamabad Abdullah was recorded at the court in the Toshakhana refer­ence. Statements of more witness­es in the reference will be record­ed today. The court was adjourned until Saturday in the Toshakhana reference.