Former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday called on the public to attend an upcoming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally in Peshawar on Sept. 27, claiming it will demonstrate the nation’s desire for freedom.
“The media’s voice has been strangled. This rally is for the nation’s freedom. The party has been instructed to make it a success,” Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, told media after speaking with her brother during trial proceedings at Adiala Jail. “He has said the agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is very important, and that Pakistan must keep its global links strong. He also said that protecting the holy mosques is an honor for us,” she said, referring to the defense pact inked between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia last week.
In a posting on X from his official account, which is not accessible to him during his incarceration, Khan reiterated his backing for the defense agreement, claiming it was under discussion during his time as prime minister.
According to Aleema, Khan has claimed that one of the witnesses in the ongoing Toshakhana-II case has been “proven false.” She claimed Khan’s military secretaries had likewise said all documentation regarding the state gifts was complete. She said the family and lawyers expected the case to conclude in Khan’s favor within two or three more hearings.
She also reiterated the former prime minister’s claims of the PTI’s “mandate” being stolen through rigging in the 2024 general elections. She said he had described the 26th Amendment as “completely” suppressing the judiciary and praised the judges who “stood for rule of law.”
Aleema said Khan had emphasized that none of his lawyers and party members had permission to engage with the military establishment on his behalf. “For three years we tried for dialogue, but instead, our party was further suppressed. There is no benefit in talks. Whoever wants to talk should come to jail and speak with me directly,” she quoted her brother as saying.
The PTI founder’s sister said her brother had also expressed disappointment over the cricket team’s performance against India. She said he had noted that the national team had defeated India by 10 wickets in October 2021. She said he had compared Mohsin Naqvi’s management of the Pakistan Cricket Board to the way the country was being governed.