The government facilitated the meeting between ex-prime minister Imran Khan and others at 7am on August 22 after the former ruling party offered to cancel its rally, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Sunday.

“What objection the administration could have when the talk was about cancelling the rally,” Asif told reporters in Sialkot while speaking about PTI leader Azam Swati’s early morning meeting with Khan at the Adiala Jail.

“Conversations in jails are not confidential and every movement is recorded, as I myself was in a cell with 16 cameras installed.”

The PTI postponed its Islamabad rally on Thursday, citing the government’s “conspiracy to spread chaos”. The party changed its plans at the eleventh hour, prompting ire from supporters and some party leaders.

The Islamabad district administration announced a holiday in government and private schools on Thursday, sealing the Red Zone, after the party decided to stage a rally despite not giving the NOC. Metro bus service in the twin cities had also been suspended.

Earlier this week, Khan told reporters in the jail that he postponed the rally due to concerns over potential unrest.

Asif went on to add that the conversation between Khan, Bushra Bibi, Raoof Hasan, and Aleem Khan was in the public domain after the cancellation of the rally. He claimed that the differences within the PTI were evident and “if the rally was meant to be successful, it would have never been cancelled.”

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While reacting to the PTI’s claim that it did not do anything on May 9, the defence minister challenged the party to explain “whose faces” were visible in the videos. “The May 9 events were witnessed by millions and the involvement of certain elements can be clearly seen in the videos.”

He criticised Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and former Punjab CM Usman Buzdar. “Gandapur is even worse than Buzdar,” he said and claimed that the KP CM was making derogatory remarks about his cabinet members.

The defence minister added that it does not matter whether Democrats or Republicans come to power in the US as the country’s fate was not determined by America, but by itself.