Imran Khan, the founding chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), confirmed and clarified his call for a protest outside the General Headquarters (GHQ) during an informal conversation with journalists at Adiala Jail on Monday.
He reiterated his call for a peaceful protest outside GHQ before the events of May 9, stating, “My statement about the protest outside GHQ was presented as if I confessed or committed a crime on May 9.
I made three vlogs and mentioned it 12 times in police investigations.”
Khan claimed there were plans to assassinate him outside the Judicial Complex on March 18, for which he possesses evidence.
“I instructed the party to hold a peaceful protest outside GHQ and cantonments if the army and Rangers arrested me,” Khan added.
When asked about the violence on May 9, Khan responded, “The protest wasn’t peaceful because it was pre-planned.
CCTV footage is not being released because our people are not in it, and it would prove our innocence.”
Khan announced his intention to go to court over the missing CCTV footage and to file a case against the Rangers for his alleged abduction from the High Court premises.
He questioned who ordered the Rangers to arrest him and who commanded the attack on the party chairman.
Khan criticized the government’s crackdown on social media, mentioning the arrest of 75-year-old cancer patient Raof Hasan. He called for a judicial commission to ensure a transparent investigation.
Khan claimed, “The government fears PTI and wants to dismantle it through the military,” criticizing the recent budget and stating it had damaged the government’s credibility.
Defending social media as the voice of the democratic public, Khan urged against labeling it as ‘digital terrorism’. He warned, “Without criticism, institutions will be destroyed.”
When reminded of his laws penalizing criticism of the military during his tenure, Khan distinguished between criticism and defamation, asserting that no journalists had fled or been killed under his government.
He acknowledged that even former president Pervez Musharraf’s era was more liberal.
Khan emphasized that all institutions, including national security agencies, should be open to criticism, highlighting the support judges receive on social media for ruling in PTI’s favor.
He stressed that the military belongs to Pakistan, not any political party and its alignment with the current government could harm its credibility, economy, and democracy.
In response to another question, Khan blamed the establishment for obstructing PTI in the elections and facilitating the swift dismissal of corruption cases against Nawaz Sharif.
Regarding future protests, Khan announced a major rally in Swabi on August 5, positioning it as a demonstration of PTI‘s public power and a strategic move to avoid unrest.
