Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has sought a level playing field for his party in the run-up to the February 8 general elections, saying a lack of fairness in conducting polls would lead to further “instability and uncertainty”.
The remarks by Khan, 71, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, came during an informal media interaction at the Adiala Jail after the hearing of the Toshakhana case on Saturday.
Imran Khan has warned that lack of transparency in elections would cause more “instability,” Pakistan-based Dawn reported.
Khan warned that if fair elections were not carried out, then it would result in further “instability and uncertainty.” He further said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidates “are being harassed and detained” by the authorities to stop them from contesting polls.
Speaking about the crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan said the establishment could not “dismantle the party since it has roots in the masses.” He warned ‘turncoats’ that their politics would end if they left Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, according to Dawn report.
The cricketer-turned-politician accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of deliberately delaying the matter related to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ‘s intra-party elections to take “stern and sudden action” to deprive the political party of its electoral symbol.
Highlighting the efforts of Pakistan’s President to bring down the political temperature, Khan said Arif Alvi tried to mediate but to no avail. Expressing his views about Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan said that Pakistan would suffer “irreparable loss” if attempts were made to impose an “absconder” on Pakistan.
PTI founder said that Nawaz Sharif cancelled his rally in Layyah as PML-N did not have the strength to organise a power show. He claimed that the PTI will hold the ‘biggest ever’ gathering even if he is released from jail only a couple of days before the polls.
Speaking about his cases in courts, Imran Khan said that despite the disposal of his plea by the Lahore High Court regarding the rejection of nomination papers, the order in this regard was not released, Dawn reported.
He said that his plea against disqualification was not being heard and added that Nawaz Sharif had been given a clean chit by the courts and allowed to contest polls. PTI founder said that another petition he registered against violations of human rights was also pending before the Supreme Court for a long time.
Imran Khan said there was no rule of law in Pakistan. However, he added that he would not take the law into his own hands as a politician and would “play till the last ball.”
Meanwhile, the internet services in Pakistan were interrupted at about 7 pm (local time), an hour prior to the “virtual power show” of the PTI broadcast on social media websites, especially YouTube.
In a post shared on X, Global Internet Monitor Netblocks stated that live metrics showcase “a nation-scale disruption to social media platforms across Pakistan, including X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube,” Dawn reported.
Taking to X, Netblocks stated, “The incident comes as persecuted opposition leader Imran Khan’s political party, PTI, launches its second virtual gathering.”
With regards to these blackouts, some internet service providers (ISPs) informed their customers that they might face internet issues due to a “degradation” in their network.
An Islamabad-based ISP said in a message, “Our teams are already working for the earliest resolution. Inconvenience is regretted,” Dawn reported.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has, however, connected these disruptions to its virtual event.
PTI spokesperson Raoof Hassan said, “Shame on the caretakers that are causing damage to Pakistanis only, and this was the proof of what they intend to do on February 8, but the people are aware of all such moves.”