In a fiery message delivered from behind bars, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has called upon his supporters to prepare for a nationwide street movement. This comes just days after he and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were sentenced to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-II corruption case. Khan, who has been incarcerated for over two years, vehemently rejected the verdict and alleged Pakistan is being run under "Asim law."
Defiance from Adiala Jail: A Call to Arms
With his social media accounts inaccessible, Khan's message was conveyed to the public on Saturday through his legal team via a post on X. The communication summarized a conversation between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and his lawyer. In it, Khan issued a direct instruction to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to begin preparations for a mass protest movement.
"To strive for justice is a sacred duty, and I am ready to lay down my life for Haqeeqi Azadi (true freedom) of my nation," Khan declared in the detailed message. He launched a scathing attack on the current state of governance, stating, "At this moment, Pakistan is being governed solely under 'Asim Law'. Here, verdicts are pre-written and merely announced aloud." This is a clear reference to Pakistan's Army Chief, General Asim Munir.
Khan dismissed the Toshakhana 2 verdict as nothing new, alleging it was delivered in haste without evidence and without fulfilling legal requirements. "Neither we nor our lawyers were even given opportunity to present our case," he claimed.
Allegations of Inhumane Treatment and Political Vendetta
The former cricket star turned politician painted a grim picture of his and his wife's conditions in Adiala Jail. He alleged they are being subjected to harsh solitary confinement, which he described as severe mental torture.
"We are barred from books, television, and meetings… The books sent by my family are confiscated by jail authorities, and we are kept in solitary confinement for weeks at a time," Khan stated. He asserted that this "inhumane" treatment and all other oppression cannot weaken his resolve.
Khan also accused the authorities of targeting women linked to his party, PTI. "It is not our tradition to target women and children… I am deeply saddened and distressed by the mistreatment and brutality," he said, mentioning Bushra Bibi, Dr. Yasmin, Mahrang Baloch, and other women. He claimed this stands in clear violation of Islamic traditions.
Directing his criticism squarely at the army chief, Khan said, "The army is mine and belongs to the people of Pakistan. When I criticise Asim Munir, it is criticism of an individual… Whatever is happening to me in jail is being carried out on the instructions of a colonel acting under Asim Munir’s orders."
Legal Challenge and Mobilisation Plans
Khan urged the legal community to step forward decisively to restore the rule of law and uphold the Constitution. He expressed full confidence in his lead counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, and stated he has instructed his team to file an appeal against the "bogus" decisions in the Islamabad High Court.
Concluding his defiant message, Khan reiterated his call for action: "My message for Sohail Afridi is to prepare for a street movement. The entire nation must rise for their rights!!" The message was signed off as "Illegally Incarcerated Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, speaking to his lawyers after the verdict of a military-style trial in Adiala Jail."
In an official statement, PTI condemned the verdict as "blatantly unconstitutional, illegal, malicious and the worst form of political revenge." The party alleged the conviction aims to prolong Khan's imprisonment and ease pressure on a "petrified ruling clique," executed through a "subservient" judiciary.
At a press conference, PTI's Salman Akram Raja, who was alongside senior leader Asad Qaiser, relayed that Khan met his counsel in the courtroom and shared a firm message: "I am standing firm and resolute and will not seek an apology from anyone, come what may." Raja further argued the case lacked substantive evidence, claiming, "They have no witnesses except the person whom the PTI founder himself brought forward."
