— Hits back at PDM govt for employing all tactics to escape polls
— claims democracy hanging by thread as only judiciary can save it
LAHORE: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday said that vandalism was not his philosophy and called for an ‘independent probe’ into arson, violence and vandalisation committed on May 9.
Speaking to his supporters from his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park, Khan called on the superior judiciary to resist orders from the “handlers” and choose freedom, urging them to question the legality of such orders and refuse to follow them.
“I ask judges to refuse to obey the orders of these handlers. Say I will not follow your orders. Under what law are you ordering me?” he said in a live speech to the nation.
“The time has come to choose true freedom,” he said. Speaking to his supporters from his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park, Khan vented out his frustration over what he called “baseless allegations” levelled by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) against him and his party.
Imran Khan also clarified that the allegations were directed against a person who wanted to see a strong army. “I am not doing any drama here. My wealth is not hidden in some foreign country. I had 145 cases registered against me but I did not escape. Put me on ECL if you want as I am not going anywhere.”
The former prime minister further highlighted that he had been the recipient of the most charity because people trusted him. “You’re saying Imran is lying. You should be ashamed of yourself. I have been given the most charity because they trust me.”
Imran Khan emphasised the need for tolerance over criticism, saying that any society which tolerates criticism progresses. Lashing out at the treatment meted out to his party leaders and workers, he said that such crackdown had been carried out in East Pakistan, adding that such actions could have dire consequences.
“You will not listen to me, but I advise you to think big. You should see where the country is heading,” he added.
Khan also urged media outlets to reject orders from them and follow the Constitution. He encouraged journalists to listen to their conscience and not be controlled by fear.
“I also ask the media to refuse their orders. Say to them that you will follow the Constitution. Follow your conscious. They only use your fear,” he added.
The former premier also called for an investigation into the protests and vandalism that occurred following his arrest on May 9, asking Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to lead the investigation and “personally” chair the panel.
“I want investigation for the ransacking of government buildings but not from them (government). I want the chief justice to create a panel which he should chair himself,” he said.
Khan also questioned the motive behind the protests, asking why people did not react in a similar manner when he was shot in Wazirabad. “In the Supreme Court, I came to know about the protests. When I was shot, why didn’t people react in such a way?” he questioned.
Imran expressed his gratitude to the judiciary for taking a stand, saying that it is the only avenue left to get justice. He accused the police of illegally attacking his residence and looting his property while his wife Bushra Bibi was alone at home during a raid earlier in the year.
He stated that he had instructed his supporters never to cause chaos as it is not how his party operates. He claimed that he was willing to give himself up to the authorities if there was a warrant against him.
Regarding the Al-Qadir Trust case, he stated that it was his intention to promote Seerat-e-Nabvi and build the university. He denied having any personal benefit from the university, and the whole drama was created based on a “fraud case”.
He accused the government of trying to create chaos and throwing PTI leaders and workers in jail. He also accused “unidentified persons” of firing straight shots at young protesters and instigating violence.
“Our supporters in Peshawar reported that they had never seen these individuals before. When they tried to stop them from causing trouble, they were attacked. The same situation occurred at Liberty Chowk in Lahore, where some individuals were instigating people. We observed unidentified individuals in civilian clothing present during these incidents, similar to what we had seen during the Wazirabad incident.”
Lastly, he expressed his concern over senior journalist Imran Riaz Khan, who went missing from the airport as he was trying to leave the country yesterday, fearing he would be tortured.
He claimed to know his whereabouts and warned that the same people responsible for assassinating senior journalist Arshad Sharif would be held responsible if anything happened to Imran Riaz Khan.
Khan also called on people particularly women across the country to join a peaceful protest against the government, urging them to step out of their homes at 5:30pm on Sunday (tomorrow) with hand-written placards that read “Haqeeqi Azadi” (true freedom) and “Aayin bachao, Pakistan bachao” (save Constitution, save Pakistan).
“I am particularly addressing the women because I am seeing a revolution in our homes,” Imran said. “Stand with these placards outside your homes for just one hour, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.”
He further said that this peaceful protest is aimed at demanding true freedom and saving the constitution. The ousted PM was addressing his supporters a day after after getting a blanket relief from Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The former prime minister was arrested from inside the premises of the IHC on May 9, triggering protests in many cities of the country by party activists and supporters as they clashed with the law enforcement agencies.
In an unprecedented show of vandalism, PTI supporters had attacked and caused damage to the historic Corps’ Commander’s House — originally known as Jinnah House and which once served as the residence of the founding father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah — hours after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested the ousted prime minister in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
An FIR was later registered against leaders and activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for attacking the historic building.
During an informal conversation with media representatives during his appearance at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on the instructions of the Supreme Court a day earlier, Imran warned that there would be no-one to control the masses if he was put behind bars again.
“The people and the army are being brought face to face against each other,” he said. “Who will control the people, if I am arrested. I can control the people if I am out [in their midst].”
