Pakistan government fears Khan’s comeback, says PPP's Aitzaz

Veteran politician and senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan has said the current regime fears Form 45 because it could end the political future of the Sharif family.

In an exclusive interview with Nukta, Ahsan said former Prime Minister Imran Khan continues to shape political discourse from behind bars. “This regime fears that the moment Khan is released, they won’t be able to control him,” he said.

Speaking about the legal cases against Khan, Ahsan dismissed them as baseless. “All the cases against Imran Khan are based on fraud and will not stand before an unbiased bench,” he said.

Ahsan also criticized former Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, saying, “The former chief justice has done the most damage to the judiciary and the constitution of this country.”

When asked about Khan’s hardline stance against the government, Ahsan said the responsibility to initiate dialogue lies with those in power.

“The government did not initiate meaningful dialogue with Imran Khan, but they could have talked to [BNP-M’s] Akhtar Mengal and listened to his grievances,” he said.

Ahsan argued that engaging Baloch leaders could have eased the insurgency in Balochistan. “Had the government initiated a dialogue with Mengal and other Baloch leaders, they could have brought parliamentary politics to Balochistan,” he added.

He also condemned what he called the state’s crackdown on parliamentarians.

“If armed men can drag parliamentarians out of parliament without facing any consequences, then there is no use for such a parliament in the country,” Ahsan said.

Ahsan also rejected the recent 26th Constitutional Amendment, calling it a “shameful” act. He warned of serious consequences if the amendment is used for political ends.

“Everyone will suffer from what the government is doing, except those who are opposing it,” he said.

On the comparison between former Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and current CM Maryam Nawaz, Ahsan said, “Maryam is a giant in comparison to Buzdar.”

“Maryam’s performance is much better, but she is over-displaying her performance, and that can cost her,” he added.