Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman on Wednesday claimed that the police have surrounded his house and he may be arrested again. “Probably my last tweet before my next arrest. Police have surrounded my house,” he stated on Twitter while addressing the country in a live video message.
Probably my last tweet before my next arrest .
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 17, 2023
Police has surrounded my house.https://t.co/jsGck6uFRj
He was first arrested from inside the High Court in Islamabad by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the charges of corruption in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust, which he owns alongside his wife, Bushra Bibi.
The Lahore police have reached outside the former cricketer’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore to arrest him and blocked all roads leading to the area.
“I am afraid that Pakistan is on the route to destruction. And I fear that if we don’t use our brains now then we may reach to the point where we wouldn’t be able to collect all the pieces of our nation,” he warned.
He asserted that instability has been in Pakistan for about a year and that an outside force was utilised to stop him because he was the wrong candidate for the position. “Imran Khan shouldn’t be back, even if it means breaching the law, preventing an election, or even disrespecting the Supreme Court,” he alleged.
He presented the survey that demonstrates his party’s superior popularity and added that all political parties are concerned that if he returns, they will all lose the election. “If the election happened then Imran will win and they don’t care whether it is good for the people or not what they care about is that the corruption cases that have been closed during their governance would be out.”
He went on to mention his strong stance for the Pakistan Army. “I have defended my army across the world. I was a known face. Name another Pakistani who defended the army the way I did on international media. And I did it because I am a free man. I never accepted slavery.”
Additionally, he argued that the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government intentionally seeks to inflame tensions between his party and the army. “The cases that are being filed under military laws, it never happened before that without any investigation or independent inquiry. It was suddenly decided that PTI is a terrorist organisation.”
He declared that their party would approach the court to request the creation of a judicial panel to look into the riots that broke out after his incarceration. “The Punjab IG should be called on what happened at Jinnah House (in Lahore). If an inquiry is properly conducted into this, it would be revealed who was behind this conspiracy to ban a political party,” he charged.
Watch his entire address below:
آج کچھ دیر قبل قوم سے کیا گیا میرا مکمل خطاب!
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 17, 2023
پاکستان تحریک انصاف ہمیشہ سے ایک پرامن اور جمہوری جماعت ہے۔ میں نے کئی ایک واقعات کا حوالہ دیا ہے جن سے ظاہر ہوتا ہے کہ ہم نے تصادم کی راہ روکنے کیلئےمسلسل صبر و ضبط کا مظاہرہ کرتے ہوئے بار بار پرامن راستے کا انتخاب کیا اگرچہ مجھے… pic.twitter.com/UTvIpUuthq
A heavy contingent of Punjab Police was deployed on the roads leading to Zaman Park and barricades were put in place on several roads. Traffic was stopped on Allama Iqbal Road and Dharam Pura Chowk. Police personnel wearing bulletproof jackets were deployed along with mobile vans.
The PTI was given a 24-hour deadline by the Punjab government yesterday to turn over the terrorists who assaulted Army installations after former prime minister Imran Khan was apprehended and now were hiding in Zaman Park.
Punjab Caretaker Information Minister Aamir Mir said, “30 to 40 terrorists who attacked Army installations including Jinnah House are present in Zaman Park,” addressing a press conference.
He revealed that the agencies were able to confirm the their presence in Zaman Park through geo-fencing. “The intelligence report that has come is very alarming. Handover the terrorists within 24 hours or the law will take its course,” he demanded and added, “PTI is starting to behave like a non-state actor.”
Meanwhile, General Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of Pakistan, affirmed that the “planned and orchestrated tragic incidents” of May 9, the day when military sites were targeted following Imran Khan’s arrest, will never be tolerated again at any cost.
“No one will be allowed to disrespect our martyrs and their monuments. They are a source of inspiration and pride for the rank and file of the Armed Forces, Law Enforcement Agencies, Government officials and the people of Pakistan,” he proclaimed.
He further commented,”The martyrs have been promised the highest abode in the life hereafter and shall continue to maintain the highest levels of respect amongst the people of Pakistan.”
“The armed forces will not tolerate any further attempt of violating the sanctity and security of its installations or vandalism and resolved to bring to justice all the planners, abettors, instigators and executors of vandalism on the Black Day of 9th May,” he vowed.
The Pakistan Army has invoked the tough Army Act and the Official Secrets Act against PTI supporters. It is a serious provision in which Imran Khan and his followers could be slapped with charges that can lead to either a death sentence or life imprisonment.
Furthermore, former Pakistan minister and PTI leader Shireen Mazari has been arrested again by the police. She was arrested by women personnel of the Punjab Police under Section 4 of the Maintenance of Public Order.
Police has abducted @ShireenMazari1 again. This is a clear violation of order given Islamabad High Court prohibiting her arrest until hearing tomorrow. There’s no respect for Courts anymore by this regime!
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 17, 2023
pic.twitter.com/pLuznmqvVW
Imran Khan also posted about the arrest and wrote, “More or less seven and a half thousand (7500) of our workers have been arrested and most of them were not presented in the courts according to the law.” He complained that houses are being illegally raided, ransacked and men and women are being abducted indiscriminately. “And all this is being done to prevent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from forming the next government,” he accused.
موجودہ فسطائی بندوبست کی جانب سے ہماری جمہوریت، ہماری عدلیہ، ہمارے آئین اور قانون کی حکمرانی کو مکمل طور پر ایک مذاق بنا کر رکھ دیا گیا ہے۔ ہمارے دیگر قائدین کیطرح، شیریں مزاری کو ضمانت ملنے کے باوجود پھر سے گرفتار کرکے ایک دوسری جیل میں منتقل کردیا گیا ہے۔ ہمارے کم و بیش ساڑھے…
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 17, 2023
In addition to crippling economic conditions and regular terror attacks, Pakistan has been in a political firestorm ever since Imran Khan was ousted from power, only exacerbating the mountain of troubles already plaguing the country.
