Imran Khan: Former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan returned to his Lahore home on Saturday after he was granted bail on Friday. He had locked himself on the Islamabad High Court premises for several hours fearing re-arrest.
Imran, who was released from the anti-graft body’s custody on the Supreme Court’s order, addressed the nation on Saturday had a word of advice for the powerful military. He advised the army to form its own political party for jumping into politics and ‘think big’ for saving the country from descending into a complete chaos.
Imran looked furious over the manner the military establishment was trying to crush his party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf. In his address from his Zaman Park residence at 8 pm, the former ousted PM asked the military leadership to review its “anti-PTI policy” for the sake of Pakistan, saying its steps have already brought the country to brink of disaster.
Imran accuses govt of kidnapping him
Before leaving for Lahore, the PTI chief accused the “imported government of kidnapping” him despite the court granting him bail
He hit out at Inter-Services Public Relations chief Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry for calling him a ‘hypocrite’. The PTI chief said: “Listen to me Mr DG ISPR… you were not even born when I was representing my country in the world and earning good name for it. You need to be ashamed of yourself for calling me hypocrite and anti-Army.”
“You have jumped into politics. Why don’t you form your own party. Who has given you the right to make such frivolous allegations. Have some shame for saying that no one else harmed the army to the extent that I did, and that you will crush us,” Khan said.
‘Army chief stabbed me in the back’
In his address, Imran asked whether the Pakistan Army’s image was good while he was the prime minister or now? “The people liked the Army then. When an Army chief (former Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa) stabbed me in the back and brought to power Pakistan’s most infamous and corrupt criminals, the masses started criticising the Army and it is not because of me but the Army chief’s actions that the Army is being targeted and criticised,” he said.
He further said people trust him and that is the reason he receives most charity from across thr world.
“You are saying Imran Khan is lying. I have been given the most charity because they trust me and consider me an honest person. Pakistan’s Supreme Court has also declared me honest (Sadiq aur Amin),” he further said.
Khan was ousted from power in April last year through a no-confidence motion. He said that the handlers (referring to the military) and its installed government are the main beneficiaries of the attack on the military installations during a protest after his arrest last Tuesday.
Entire PTI leadership in jail
“They have put the entire leadership of PTI in jails and arrested over 3,500 workers and instituted more cases against me after the attack on the state buildings by unknown persons. The government parties do not want the elections because they know they will be completely wiped out. That is why they planned this conspiracy (attack on military installations) and ran away from elections,” he said.
Looking furious, Khan said such a crackdown had been carried out in East Pakistan which his party is facing today. “Such actions have dire consequences. Although you (the Army) will not listen to me, I advise you to think big. You should see where the country is heading by such actions,” he said.
Imran said the judiciary was the only hope for Pakistan and asked the judges to refuse illegal orders from the ‘handlers’. He said there has been unprecedented media control by the handlers who had also imposed a ban on social media to curb free speech.
The PTI chief appealed to the journalists to listen to their conscience and not be controlled by fear being instilled by the military establishment.
He feared that senior journalist Imran Riaz Khan who was abducted (by security agencies) might be severely tortured or killed. He also lambasted the government for the abduction of another senior political analyst Oriya Maqbool Jan.
Khan demanded investigation into the protests and vandalism following his arrest, by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial so that facts could come to fore.
Also Read: Imran Khan returns home in Lahore, says Islamabad police chief tried to prevent his release
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