Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairperson and former prime minister Imran Khan claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led coalition government was planning his arrest through fake cases in order to stop his movement for ‘real freedom’.
Addressing his party’s lawyers from his Bani Gala residence on Tuesday, the PTI chairperson said that their struggle for ‘freedom’ would not stop until the government agreed to announce early elections.
He claimed the government felt that arresting Imran was the only way to curb their distress, and that they would proceed to do so by resorting to ‘illegal practices’. He reiterated his claim that the government came to power through a ‘foreign conspiracy’ and asked his followers to be prepared in case of his arrest under ‘fake’ charges.
“Come what may, this movement for real freedom will not stop till the announcement of early elections,” he added, saying, “It is the responsibility of the lawyers to take a stand for the rule of law.”
He also criticized the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), claiming that it was seeking to protect Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz by not filling the five vacant MPA seats till after the by-elections.
“If they [ECP] fill vacant reserved seats, he [Hamza] will lose majority,” he said, claiming the the electoral watchdog was colluding with the government to help them rig the next elections.
Imran also called for breaking off ties with India over the recent blasphemous remarks made by two Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) officials. “I urge this government to cut diplomatic and trade ties with India and take a stand against them like Arab countries are boycotting their products,” he said, adding that the Sharif family should also cut off business ties with India.
