PTI chief ‘ready for 1,000 year jail if necessary’
Lawyers in support of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, denounce his arrest during a protest outside the High court in Lahore on August 7, 2023. Photo: AFP
PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan expressed his willingness to endure imprisonment, stating he would stay incarcerated "even for a thousand years" if necessary and stressed the value of sacrifice in achieving freedom.
On August 5, the PTI chief was arrested by the Punjab police after a trial court found him guilty on charges of concealing de¬tails of gifts he received from the state deposito¬ry while in office, and sentenced him to three years in prison.
Imran was scheduled to be taken to Adiala jail, but instead was shifted to Attock prison. His counsels had repeatedly said that he was being kept in “deplorable conditions” during incarceration.
After meeting Imran in Attock jail, Umair Niazi, a member of the PTI chief’s legal team, reported that the former prime minister was in "good health, although he had grown a beard."
“He [Imran] was provided with a mirror and shaving kit today (on Thursday),” the lawyer said.
Umair asserted that among a team of six, only he was granted the permission to meet the PTI chairman.
The lawyer expressed his intention to file a contempt of court petition against the "jailer's conduct" for denying the legal team access to the former premier, despite possessing court orders.
“I do not care about not being given facilities [in jail]. It does not matter even if I am kept in jail for a 1,000 years, but I am ready for it because [one has to] make sacrifices for freedom,” Niazi quoted the PTI chief as saying.
The lawyer confirmed that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) conducted an inquiry with Imran in Attock jail regarding the cipher issue on Wednesday, during which the former premier reiterated his previous stance.
He said Imran also spoke about the “disappearance” of his nephew Barrister Hassaan Khan Niazi.
The Lahore High Court directed authorities to produce Barrister Hassaan before the court by August 18 with regard to a plea seeking his recovery and an inquiry against officials over his “illegal detention”.