Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has declared that he will not back down from his stance, even if it means spending his entire life in jail. Speaking to journalists on Saturday during the 190 million pounds reference hearing at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) expressed his unwavering commitment to his political position.
“Our party was already BANNED; we were not even allowed to contest the elections. Banning any political party is the murder of democracy,” Khan stated emphatically.
According to journalist Babar Malik, who was present in the courtroom, Imran Khan launched a severe critique of the government, highlighting that the party’s chairman, vice-chairman, and president were already in jail, yet there were calls to impose further bans on the party.
During his conversation, Khan also criticized Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying,
“She claims that the judges are not fair. The judges were fair when her cases were dismissed.”
Imran Khan condemned the Bannu incident, accusing the military of firing on unarmed civilians during the event. He asserted that the war against terrorism cannot be won without the support of the nation.
The former Prime Minister criticized the current rulers for their unwillingness to reduce their expenses while demanding sacrifices from the public. He questioned how Asif Zardari increased the President House’s budget to 880 million rupees.
In response to a journalist’s question, Imran Khan remarked,
There is no difference between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). They are one and the same, both products of Form 47. There will be no talks with the PPP on any issue, including the no-confidence motion, unless I seek power. I am ready to spend my entire life in jail. The talks about me backing down from my stance are baseless.
He added,
“If the Election Commission does not allocate seats to PTI despite the Supreme Court’s decision, then Article 6 should be applied to the Election Commission.”
Imran Khan reiterated his demand for the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9.