Imran Khan, the imprisoned former Prime Minister of Pakistan, has made a bold claim that he was given the opportunity to leave the country for three years in exile but refused the offer. In a recent statement on X (formerly Twitter), Khan, who has been in detention since August 2023, reiterated his determination to live and die in Pakistan, rejecting the idea of leaving his homeland.
The 72-year-old former cricketing legend, who is now a politician, came out with his views on not accepting the offer while he was in Attock Jail. “I was offered the chance of three years of exile when I was behind bars in Attock Jail, but I will live and die in Pakistan,” Khan posted. His loyalty to his country and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), still stands tall, even when offered the opportunity to leave.
Khan further revealed that while he was in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, he was “indirectly offered” to shift him to his Bani Gala house in Islamabad. But Khan did not budge and refused that too. He indicated that he would entertain only personal discussions about his situation if his workers detained and leaders of PTI, were released first. “Release my detained workers and leaders first. Only then will I consider discussing my personal situation,” Khan insisted.
Khan’s Global View On Human Rights
Khan stated that decisions about Pakistan should be taken within the country, but he also acknowledged the need to raise global voices against human rights violations. He mentioned institutions like the United Nations, which are designed to address such matters. The former Prime Minister pointed out the role of enlightened individuals across the world who stand against the violation of fundamental rights.
Khan believes that Pakistan has entered the era of “the authoritarian.” That is, according to him, the country faces a violation of all personal freedoms. The destruction of key institutions can be seen during this period and the erosion of the country’s social, political, and economic systems. Khalid Khurshid, the former Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister, was convicted for 34 years in jail.
At the same time, drawing comparisons with the regime of former military leader Pervez Musharraf, Khan said, “Even in Musharraf’s era, we criticized military interference but never faced such oppression and fascism.”
Khan’s Reactions to the International Interventions: He also reacted to the news of the new Donald Trump administration threatening to influence the Shehbaz Sharif government for his release. Khan expressed optimism that Trump would not intervene like the alleged pressure of U.S. President Biden, which he believes played a crucial role in the vote of no confidence against his government.
Ongoing Negotiations With The Government
The PTI leader said that his party is in talks with the government. He demanded that the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the incidents on November 26, 2024, and May 9, 2023, and freeing of political prisoners should be part of these negotiations. These demands follow the violent protests led by PTI supporters against Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023.
Khan claimed that events on May 9, where PTI workers allegedly assaulted military establishments, were not factually as presented. He said the cut CCTV footage and verdicts from the military courts were actually part of a larger design to get away with a version of the reality. He maintained that the investigation into such events should be conducted in a transparent manner so that reality was exposed.
The deadline that Khan put before the government is to respond to his party demands by January 31. There is a chance he might change his mind regarding the boycott of remittances if the government takes the issue seriously to resolve these matters before him. PTI has also been talking to the government to cool down the tension in the country.
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