RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday expressed his willingness to remain in jail as he urged authorities to release other leaders of his party.
While addressing the media during the hearing on the ₹190 million reference, Imran once again appealed to Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa to hear the May 25 PTI petition and form a judicial commission to probe the May 9 incidents.
“There has been no investigation into these incidents so far,” Imran pointed out, adding that “concealing” information is also a crime.
“A political party is being eliminated after the May 9 incidents,” the PTI founder said.
Imran Khan called for a thorough investigation into the February 8 elections and scrutiny. He questioned the legitimacy of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to investigate allegations of fraud.
In a plea for fairness, Imran called on authorities to consider releasing other PTI leaders while he is in custody, saying: “If you want to keep me in jail, keep me but release others.
He highlighted the health problems of party leaders such as Dr. Yasmeen, Mahmudul Rashid, Alia Hamza, Ijaz Chaudhry and Umar Cheema.
Addressing national security issues, Imran referred to the revelations made at a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting and emphasized that Asad Majeed had identified a “potential” threat.
He stressed the importance of re-evaluating Donald Lu’s statement, noting that it could have consequences that warrant further investigation, especially regarding the involvement of the US Embassy.
He questioned why there was no investigation into the alleged encryption breach in Pakistan, noting that the original encryption key was at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He mentions that they were provided with a summarized version.
Regarding safety protocols, he emphasized that the Prime Minister is not solely responsible for protecting the figure, but that this is a shared responsibility within the office.
Imran also expressed frustration at receiving three verdicts in just five days, recalling a TV presenter’s warning that his sentencing was expected on February 5. He wanted his hearings to be broadcast live.
Moreover, the PTI founder commented on Rana Sanaullah’s remarks and compared them to typical tactics of “political mafia”. He stressed the need for fair political competition, especially in Punjab where he highlighted the difficulties encountered during meetings with the Speaker of Parliament.