Imran Khan says 'PTI leaders being treated as terrorists in jails'

LAHORE: Former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said that the PTI leaders and workers are being treated as terrorists in the jails who surrendered before the authorities during Jail Bharo Tehreek, ARY News reported on Thursday

Imran Khan addressed the workers and supporters on the second day of the Jail Bharo Tehreek in which a large number of leaders and activists surrendered before the authorities to protest against the incumbent government.

He said that those who presented themselves for arrests during Jail Bharo Tehreek are being kept with terrorists in the jails. The PTI chief said that they are political inmates which should be kept in a separate barrack.

Khan criticised the government for sending the political prisoners of Jail Bharo Tehreek to jails in different cities.

“Are you thinking that we will be afraid after these steps? Why people would come out of their homes in Peshawar if they are feared of their arrest? You will see people coming out in Rawalpindi tomorrow. If we do not adopt a peaceful way of protest, then the nation will be enraged and it will be disastrous.”

Regarding previous arrests and detentions, Imran Khan said that Pervaiz Elahi’s secretary is missing so far and no one knows about his whereabouts. A close relative of Moonis Elahi was abducted and brutally tortured.

He said that Pervaiz Elahi has been given the position of president in his honour after his inclusion in the PTI.

ECP, caretaker set-ups

He slammed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) once again. Khan said that they had never seen this kind of election commission so far.

He alleged that ECP formed an anti-PTI caretaker set-up. Khan said that PTI had forwarded the names of 23 government officers for stopping their deputations due to their alleged involvement in May 25 incident. He added that the commission had deputed all those officers despite PTI’s reservations.

Khan further alleged that the caretaker set-up is being controlled by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whereas, Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s instructions are being followed in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

‘Both caretaker set-ups are partial to target PTI. The caretaker set-up is doing everything except free and fair elections. If elections are delayed, then what will be the legal position of the caretaker set-up after 90 days?”

He criticised the record of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) regarding the Wazirabad gun attack has vanished. The PTI chief said that the current rulers are targeting the judiciary due to the fear of elections.

Inflation wave

Imran Khan said that Shehbaz Sharif had asked the nation to brace for another wave of inflation in his press conference yesterday. He questioned Shehbaz Sharif about how his family is bearing expenses while residing in London.

He slammed the rulers for dissolving their Rs1,100 billion corruption cases and warning the nation of a new wave of inflation. He asked Shehbaz Sharif to ask the nationals about their miseries.

Khan said that Jail Bharo Tehreek is a protest against inflation.

Appeal to judiciary

Imran Khan appealed to the judiciary to take notice of the unlawful moves of the government. “I want to tell the judiciary that it is a decisive moment and everything will be remembered in the history.”

He said that the nation knows the history of ‘Sharif mafia’ and the attack on the Supreme Court (SC). He added that Nawaz Sharif do not want a fully functional judiciary and Shehbaz Sharif had even dictated Justice Qayyum about the period of imprisonment to the opponents.

Khan said that Shehbaz Sharif is still launching criticism against the judiciary.

Elections

Imran Khan said that election is the only solution to end crisis in the country. He added that elections should be held in 90 days as per the Constitution. PTI sacrificed its provincial governments to end crisis in the country.

He reiterated that general elections are inevitable for bringing political and economic stability.