Prepare for court arrest, Imran advises PTI employees.

Connects participation in the multi-party debate on February 7 to the cessation of “political victimisation” and the release of the election date.  Shehbaz is criticised for using the Peshawar blast to achieve “political mileage” and ex-PM says he won’t support a strike that could harm Pakistan’s economy.

LAHORE: Imran Khan, the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), on Saturday announced the formation of a “Jail Bharo Tehreek” in an apparent attempt to urge the PML-N-led government to hold elections in two provinces and end its “political victimisation” (court arrest drive).

The PTI has also informed the Shehbaz Sharif administration that it may attend the multi-party conference (MPC) on militancy on February 7 if those conditions are met, including an end to the government’s persecution of PTI leaders and the announcement of a date for elections in Punjab and Khyber Paktunkhwa.

The deposed premier gave a broadcast speech on Saturday from his home in Zaman Park in this city, outlining the rationale behind his announcement of the “Jail Bharo Tehreek”. “Now we have two options. One is to travel by car and cause a traffic congestion, but this will harm Pakistan’s economy. The second is to let the Jail Bharo Tehreek to carry out this imported government’s wish to imprison us, he stated, adding that he will begin this campaign.

“I ask the populace to prepare and wait for my announcement of “Jail Bharo Tehreek.” The party workers should be ready to respond when I call and signal that it is time to fill jails. I am aware that there are not enough jails in the nation to house us all, Mr. Khan remarked, adding that they should be locked up in accordance with the government’s wishes.

He also made it plain to the PMLN-led administration and “their handlers” (a reference to the military establishment) that they were gravely mistaken if they thought they could intimidate the PTI leadership through harassment and detention torture.  “Nations lacking a vision perish. And I worry about the future of our country.

Imran Khan also discussed the intimidation and abuse of journalists, allies, and party officials while they were under his care. He claimed that the violent killing of veteran journalist Arshad Sharif was the most devastating of all.

Mr. Khan voiced his absolute displeasure over the flagrant disregard for the law and the constitution, particularly in the instance of the delay in the Punjab and KP elections.  “We disbanded the governments of Punjab and KP 18 days ago, but the governors are still withholding election dates. He stated that the government was making every effort to postpone the elections, which are required by the constitution to be held within 90 days, and that it appeared there was no rule of law in the nation and “we are moving towards a law of the jungle where might makes right.”

He asked the legal system to defend peoples’ basic rights. “Everyone looks to the legal system to uphold their fundamental rights. Elections (in Punjab and KP) will be place in 90 days, and we are sure that the judiciary would uphold the constitution.

The former premier added that both caretaker governments (in Punjab and KP) were a comedy in Pakistan’s history because all anti-PTI officers were deployed there and that the Election Commission of Pakistan was supporting the “imported government” in its plans to overthrow the PTI.