Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday slammed the ‘imported government’ for treating political prisoners detained during the Jail Bharo Tehreek as ‘criminals and terrorists’.
The movement, according to the PTI rationale, aims to counter the “attack on constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights” and the “economic meltdown” by the incumbent government”.
On February 22, the movement for judicial arrests began. On the first day of the campaign, the party’s key leaders—including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, and Azam Swati—along with party members voluntarily turned themselves in to the Lahore police. Later, some of the other party members did the same.
under spiralling prices while rulers get NRO for Rs 1100 bn looted wealth for themselves. Refusing to abide by prison rules for political detainees reflects a desperate & dictatorial mindset, which makes our people even more determined to stand up for Haqeeqi Azadi.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 25, 2023
In the tweet, Khan claimed that his party’s leadership and workers are protesting against fascism, the violation of fundamental rights, and the crushing of the nation.
He wrote, “Strongly condemn the fascist approach of imported govt to treat our political prisoners detained during our Jail Bharo (court arrest) movement as criminals & terrorists.”
He added that the PTI leadership and workers are protesting against fascism, violation of fundamental rights and crushing nation under spiraling prices while rulers get NRO for Rs1100 billion looted wealth for themselves.”
Khan said, “Refusing to abide by prison rules for political detainees reflects a desperate & dictatorial mindset, which makes our people even more determined to stand up for Haqeeqi Azadi.”
A significant incident today involved the transfer from Adiala to Shahpur jail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders from Rawalpindi who had offered to be arrested as part of the party’s “Jail Bharo Tehreek” campaign.
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Zulfi Bukhari, Sadaqat Abbasi, Fayazul Hassan Chohan, Ijaz Khan Jazi, Latafat Abbasi, and Chaudhry Sajid, according to sources, were sent to Shahpur jail.
Moreover, the police transferred 41 PTI activists from Adiala prison to Hafizabad prison.
More than 200 PTI activists will voluntarily hand themselves in to the police in Multan today as part of the court arrest drive, which has already visited Lahore, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi.
Imran presents man who claims he was forced to accuse Usman Dar of Corruption
Former premier Imran Khan has brought a citizen before the media who was allegedly abducted and tortured to give false statements against Usman Dar.
Imran Khan addressed the media via video link on Saturday along with PTI leader Usman Dar and a citizen who had been allegedly abducted and tortured.
“I want to tell the nation about what is happening in the country. Attempts are being made to turn Pakistan into a Banana republic. No one is caring about the law and the constitution, but the law is in hands of the powerful people.”
The PTI chief said that people are being forced to give false statements after the ouster of the PTI government. “Attempts were made to file fake cases, corruption cases and run audiotapes to blackmail us.”
He claimed that Javed Ali, the affected citizen, will relate his own account. He continued by saying that Usman Dar had made it possible for Javed Ali to obtain a Grade 4 government job as a watchman.
Javed Ali claimed that he is a watchman for the education division and that he received a phone call ordering him to report for duty. “Four policemen entered and covered my face with a rag before escorting me to an unidentified place. There had also been several other men there.
“I was subjected to brutal tortured and hanged upside down. I was asked how much money you pay to Usman Dar [to get this job]. After I refused, they tortured me again. I was stripped naked and filmed. They threatened me to film the videos of my family too and post them on social media.”
Ali added that he was forced to record a statement against Usman Dar for receiving bribes from contractors. He said that his wife was also brought to the next room and blackmailed.
