Rana Sanaullah says PTI founder could face treason charges, compares fate to MQM's Altaf Hussain

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Political tensions in the country escalated further on Monday as Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs, Senator Rana Sanaullah, said treason cases against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan could not be ruled out.

He warned that the party’s anti-army rhetoric was crossing “red lines” that the government would not tolerate.

Speaking in an interview with a private television channel, Sanaullah said that the door for dialogue with Khan had “never been open” and that recent statements, including his tweets and remarks by his sisters, had prompted decisive action. He noted that the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General had delivered a clear and direct message: if PTI treated the matter as a joke, they would face consequences.

PTI faces backlash as parties rally behind armed forces

Sanaullah stressed that some PTI members were “speaking the language of Indian media” and that the military’s press conference should not be misconstrued as a political statement. He said, “If the limits are crossed against the army and its leadership, it will not be tolerated.”

The adviser claimed that following the Jaffer Express attack, Indian, Afghan, and PTI-linked media propagated narratives against the state, and the government has been monitoring these actors ever since. He alleged that PTI maintained contacts and received support from Indian sources in several other incidents, describing it as a “serious misfortune” for the country.

Imran Khan's anti-Army narrative now a national security threat: DG ISPR

Sanaullah also criticised PTI for disregarding assurances given prior to meetings with government officials, highlighting a controversial encounter involving Imran Khan and his sister, Azma Khan. He stated that instead of limiting discussions to non-political matters, the meeting included remarks against the government.

He compared PTI’s trajectory to the MQM and its founder Altaf Hussain, saying, “I see PTI heading towards becoming Adiala Tehreek-e-Insaf. The majority of party members will not join this madness.”

The adviser added that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership, including Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Sharjeel Memon, had already responded to the DG ISPR’s press conference, and he expected the party’s official stance to follow.