‘Ready to talk to anyone’ for country’s sake; Imran Khan reiterates

Imran Khan, the embattled leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, struck a conciliatory tone on Thursday, saying he was willing to “talk to anyone” and “render any sacrifice” for the country’s “uplift, interest, and democracy,” as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif once more urged unity to address Pakistan’s problems.

The two leaders’ comments come a day after PM Shehbaz extended an olive branch to the PTI leader, highlighting the need for all political forces to engage in dialogue in order to resolve the nation’s ongoing political and economic crises.

Imran, who is facing several legal matters, has been eluding capture and is currently holed up in his Zaman Park home with thousands of supporters who have engaged in several days of “pitched battles” with the police and Rangers.

“I will not refrain from any sacrifice for the sake of Pakistan’s uplift, interest and democracy,” Imran tweeted today. “In this regard, I am willing to talk to anyone and take every step towards it.”

“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the people of Pakistan who joined us in the struggle for true freedom and to our workers from all over Pakistan, including Lahore,” he added in another tweet.

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz called for national unity among the political leadership to address the country’s challenges. He made the remarks while speaking in the Senate during a session to mark its golden jubilee celebration.