Imran says justice avenues shut, calls on supporters to prepare for street movement
Imran Khan gestures as he addresses supporters during a rally, in Lahore on April 21, 2022. Photo: Reuters
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan has said that with all avenues of justice “closed”, protest is now the only option left for the party, calling on supporters to prepare for a street movement.
The message was relayed on Saturday by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja during a press conference at the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) House in the federal capital after a special court sentenced former prime minister and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison each in the Toshakhana-II case.
Read More: Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi sentenced to 17 years in Toshakhana 2.0
Raja told reporters that, according to party lawyers, the former prime minister is being kept in solitary confinement. He claimed that a notification issued for upcoming trials bars even family members from the courtroom, while judges will appear via video link from distant locations.
He said existing court orders had guaranteed Khan the right to an open and fair trial, yet his scheduled meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays had been discontinued. Raja rejected government statements that the PTI founder is regularly granted meetings, calling such claims “completely false.”
According to Raja, Khan said he would not retreat “even an inch” from his stance and was prepared to secure freedom for the people, even at the cost of martyrdom. Raja quoted him as saying that judicial doors had shut, court hearings were not taking place, and justice was no longer accessible, leaving protest as the only path.
He said PTI founder had expressed solidarity with all political prisoners, particularly women, and stressed that the public must now stand up for their rights. Raja also confirmed that Khan briefly met his lawyer Salman Safdar earlier in the day, alleging that a verdict had been delivered in his absence and without his defence team present.
Raja said the PTI founder had called for preparations for a street movement and was distressed over the imprisonment of his wife, Bushra Bibi, whom he claimed had been jailed solely for being his spouse.
‘Dark chapter’: PTI slams court ruling
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and several opposition figures on Friday sharply criticised the sentences handed to party founder Imran Khan and his wife in the Toshakhana case, calling the verdict an example of deep injustice.
The party, in a statement on X, said described the ruling as a “dark chapter in history,” noting that Imran Khan was reportedly present inside the court set up at Adiala Jail when the decision was announced.
PTI said Khan’s family was barred from entering the courtroom and termed the closed-door proceedings “neither free nor fair,” alleging it was “in effect, a military trial.”
Strongly condemn the sentence in the Toshakhana 2 case against PM Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. These are the sentences of a kangroo court. There is no rule of law in Pakistan. @PTIofficial
Senior PTI leader Omar Ayub wrote on X that “the rule of law does not exist in Pakistan.”
Balochistan National Party Chief Akhtar Mengal questioned why former prime ministers had not faced similar consequences over Toshakhana matters or alleged actions that divided the country. “Those who broke the country and the constitution were given a guard of honour,” he said, terming the situation a “clear example of injustice.”
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Tehreek Tahaffuz Ain-e-Pakistan leader Allama Nasir Abbas said the verdict undermined both public rights and the parliament, accusing the government of attempting to demoralise the opposition.
TTAP leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar argued that persecution was not confined to politicians, citing legal challenges faced by Iman Mazari, Matiullah Jan and Justice Jahangiri.
PTI’s Firdous Shamim Naqvi said the ruling exposed flaws in the judicial system, warning that the party may consider boycotting courts. He claimed workers were facing 65,000 cases and alleged that “false verdicts are creating dangerous gaps.”
On the other hand, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar defended the judgement, saying the court reviewed substantial evidence before finding Imran Khan and his wife guilty.
He claimed the couple had engaged in corruption and maintained the verdict was fair while adding that Khan’s imprisonment in the Toshakhana case would begin after completion of his sentence in the £190 million corruption reference.