- Says Sharifs, Zardari work like a mafia… either buy or get people murdered
- Claims he knows they want to hold polls when he is disqualified
ISLAMABAD: Hours after a local magistrate in Islamabad issued warrant for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s arrest, the former prime minister on Saturday said that the current rulers will try to arrest him and put him into prison ahead of elections and he was ready for it.
“The last time I came to know about my arrest, I had packed my bag and was prepared for it… I am ready for my arrest,” Imran said during an interview with a private TV channel.
He alleged that Sharifs and Zardari work like a mafia and they either buy people or get them murdered.
“I know they would try to disqualify me… they want to hold the election when I am disqualified,” he said, adding that he is mentally prepared for all possibilities and will continue to fight for the ‘real freedom’ for people.
To a question about the ‘missing’ diplomatic cipher, the ex-premier said that it is available and it was not made public because it is a state secret.
“Cipher exists and it is with the chief justice. The president and the army chief have also seen it,” he went on to say.
However, he admitted that the copy of cipher he had was missing and he doesn’t know about its whereabouts.
Elaborating why he used the word letter instead of cipher or transcript, Imran said that he was talking in context of a public gathering.
“If I say cipher during a jalsa, no one would have understood it. I used [the word] letter for the understanding of people. When you address people you use common terms.”
To a question about a meeting at the presidency in which a high-level official including members of the establishment participated, the former premier said: “I don’t want to lie and I cannot reveal the truth.”
ARREST WARRANTS
Earlier on Saturday, a judicial magistrate Islamabad issued arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)’s Chairman Imran Khan over his continued absence from court in a case pertaining to threatening remarks about a female judge and police high-ups.
Judicial Magistrate Rana Mujahid Raheem had repeatedly summoned Imran Khan in the case but he failed to appear. Upon which, the court issued arrest warrants against the PTI chief.
The court had ordered the Margalla Police SHO to present the accused Imran Khan Niazi, son of Ikramullah Niazi before the court after arresting him.
It may be mentioned here that the capital police had registered FIR No.407 on August 20, against Imran Khan under sections 504/506 and 188/189 for threatening female judge Zeba Chaudhry and officials of Islamabad Police.
However, the clauses of Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) were removed from the FIR on the directives of Islamabad High Court (IHC). The case was shifted to the District and Sessions Court from the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) after the IHC decision.
The Islamabad police on Saturday said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan could be arrested if he fails to appear before the court for threatening a female judge and Islamabad police officials.
