Imran terms May 25, 2022 ‘descent into fascism’

Says PDM was allowed to hold marches while PTI faced full state force

ISLAMABAD:

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday termed May 25 “our descent into fascism”.

Referring to the PTI’s Azadi (freedom) March in 2022, he tweeted: “Our descent into fascism commenced last year on May 25. While three long marches by PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) during the three-and-a-half years of the PTI government were allowed without any hindrance, we faced the full force of state terror. Houses [of the PTI leaders and workers] were broken in the middle of the night and subsequently, the PTI office bearers and workers were kidnapped,” he said, adding that those who managed to reach Islamabad faced tear gas, rubber bullets and police brutality.

“Some of us thought it was a one-off [incident] but that was just the beginning. Today, the largest and the only federal party was facing the full fury of state power without any accountability. Over 10,000 PTI workers and supporters, including the senior leadership, are in jail and some are facing custodial torture,” he said.

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According to him, on the pretext of attacking the Lahore corps commander’s house on May 9, which was condemned by the entire PTI leadership, the state was trying to dismantle the party, including “forced divorces” and trying the PTI members in military courts.

“All those in the PDM and the journalist community who are cheerleaders of this ‘yazeediyat’ should know that this is not dismantling of the PTI but our democracy, in other words, our freedom,” he added.

However, he said, “this attempt to enslave us will fail, as we have a politically aware young population who despite the media being muzzled gets its information from social media”.