Imran Khan, founding chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), confirmed his call for a protest outside the General Headquarters (GHQ) during an informal chat with journalists at Adiala Jail on Monday. He reaffirmed his stance on the peaceful protest, emphasizing that his statement about the GHQ demonstration should not be misconstrued as a criminal confession related to the events of May 9. Khan clarified that he had discussed the protest extensively in his vlogs and police investigations, mentioning it a dozen times.
Khan alleged that there were plans to kill him outside the Judicial Complex on March 18, with evidence to support this claim. He stated that he had directed his party to organize a peaceful protest outside GHQ and cantonments if he was arrested by the army or Rangers. Addressing the violence on May 9, Khan suggested that it was pre-planned, citing the lack of released CCTV footage as evidence of their innocence. He announced his intention to take legal action over the missing footage and to file a case against the Rangers for his alleged abduction from the High Court premises.
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Khan criticized the government’s crackdown on social media, pointing to the arrest of a 75-year-old cancer patient, Raof Hasan. He called for the establishment of a judicial commission to ensure a transparent investigation into these matters. Khan accused the government of fearing PTI and attempting to dismantle it through military intervention. He also condemned the recent budget, claiming it had damaged the government’s credibility.
Defending social media, Khan argued that it represents the democratic voice of the public and cautioned against labeling it as ‘digital terrorism’. He stressed that criticism is essential for institutional integrity, contrasting it with defamation, and claimed that during his tenure, no journalists had been forced to flee or killed.
Khan asserted that all institutions, including national security agencies, should be open to criticism. He praised the support judges received on social media for favorable rulings for PTI. He emphasized that the military belongs to Pakistan, not any single political party, and warned that its alignment with the current government could harm its credibility, the economy, and democracy.
In response to questions about future protests, Khan announced a major rally in Swabi on August 5. He described it as a demonstration of PTI’s public support and a strategic move to prevent unrest.
