Imran Khan says ‘mentally prepared to get arrested tonight’

LAHORE: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan told foreign media that he is mentally prepared to get arrested tonight.

While talking to Al-Jazeera, Imran Khan said that he has secured protective bail from the court till March 1 but police reached to arrest him four days before the hearing. He questioned the legality of the police raid with an arrest warrant before the expiry of his protective bail.

Khan said that his lawyers are waiting to appear before the court on Wednesday morning where they will challenge the arrest warrant. He added that they can stage peaceful protests in accordance with the law and the Constitution.

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The PTI chief said that peaceful protests for fundamental rights are part of democracy. He added that he has never incited PTI workers for violence in his 26-year political career.

He said that a false case related to Toshakhana gifts was filed against him. The government has so far registered 80 cases of treason, murder, terrorism and contempt of religion against him within a few months.

Imran Khan said that he will approach the Supreme Court (SC) to club all cases. He said that former Indian prime minister Narasimha Rao was also facing threats to his life and all cases against him were clubbed together. Rao had also survived an assassination attempt.

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Khan said that he is also facing threats to his life and he will approach the SC for the hearing of the cases at a safe place or allow his appearance via video link. “I have recently appeared before the court twice but there was no security measures. The government has also accepted that there are life threats to me.”

Imran Khan said that he is mentally prepared to get arrested tonight. “Rangers were also summoned to arrest me. Rangers are called to arrest me as there is a terrorist present here.”

Khan said, “The incumbent government is afraid of PTI’s popularity. “They want to arrest me to keeping me away from the election campaign.”