ISLAMABAD, MAY 31: The former Prime Minister of Pakistan, currently imprisoned, says he is deprived of basic prisoner rights.
Imran Khan stated that the current authorities are using psychological tactics to break his spirit.
“I find myself confined in what is referred to as a death cell – a small, isolated space typically reserved for terrorists. The authorities are determined to cast me in this light. In solitary confinement, I am denied even the basic rights of a prisoner. They employ psychological tactics to break my spirit, but my heart, fortified by faith in Allah, remains strong. I keep myself occupied and mentally sharp through exercise and reading,” Khan added.
In an online interview from prison with a British journalist, Imran Khan named the former Chief of Army Staff, Qamar Javed Bajwa, as responsible for his current situation, claiming that Bajwa had orchestrated his imprisonment.
This interview is considered the first of Imran Khan’s interviews from prison.
He continued: “General Bajwa single-handedly spread stories to countries like the US, painting me as anti-American or uninterested in good relations with them. The narrative that our trip to Russia was made unilaterally without consultation is completely false. The trip was a collective decision made after extensive deliberations. Yet, he portrayed it as an anti-American initiative by Imran Khan alone. His insatiable thirst for power rendered him unpredictable. God knows what other lies he disseminated to various countries.”
According to Khan, General Bajwa’s harmful actions might have short-term effects, but they will not last.
In response to a question regarding the latest elections in Pakistan, Imran Khan considered the current government of Pakistan illegitimate, stating that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by Nawaz Sharif won only 17 seats in the election.
“This is not just my perspective; ask any Pakistani, and they will tell you this government is not legitimate. My party’s victory was clear, despite their efforts to undermine our identity and leadership,” Imran Khan said.
The former Prime Minister of Pakistan said the world should raise its voice for the future of Pakistan’s 250 million people and democracy.
Khan said: “This is not just about Imran Khan. This is an attack on democracy and the right to self-determination of 250 million people. Silence has prevailed while men, women, and children have been killed, abducted, and tortured. Only one political party has been victimized in every conceivable way. Recently, my information secretary was attacked on the road with blades. Platforms like X have been blocked in Pakistan for months. Mentioning my name on TV is prohibited. My main leaders are still not allowed to appear on national television. Every party in the country describes this election as the worst in our history. Elections are supposed to bring political stability by earning the people’s trust and mandate.”
The former prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, have been sentenced to 14 years in prison for selling gifts received from the leaders of foreign governments, including the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
Both Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the former Foreign Minister of Pakistan, have been sentenced to ten years in jail in connection with the case of leaking confidential government documents.
