Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday invited all stakeholders to sit and talk while there was still time as he fears another arrest during a raid at his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park,a private TV channel reported.
“Probably my last tweet before my next arrest. Police has surrounded my house,” he wrote on his official Twitter handle while sharing live link to his address to party supporters on YouTube. “There is still time. Talk and be wise. The only solution to this crisis is elections. Those who can make elections happen, I appeal to them save the country by holding elections,” Imran said while addressing party supporters shortly after his tweet.
On reports of PTI leaders leaving party, he said: “If someone is thinking this strategy will work, look at this,” said Imran as he points towards a sheet in which it was depicted that 70 per cent of people supported PTI.
“The party which has 70% popularity you cannot finish it. PDM only wants to pit army against PTI. Everyone should realise what is happening and have some sense,” he added. “This (confrontation between PTI and military) will cause a huge backlash which would be damaging to the country,” he added. Imran said that his party workers tried to stop people from burning down the fighter jet model erracted at Jahaz Chowk in Mianwali but the miscreants did not stop. “We’re going to the high court soon to form a judicial commission as we have evidence now. We saw people everywhere who did not belong to our party and had pistols. They were instigating people to attack the Corp Commander’s house,” he claimed.
He also claimed that 25 people belonging to his party have been killed so far in the protests whereas 700 others with bullet wounds are hospitalised and 7,500 were in prison including women. “I have heard 40 terrorists are in my house and we have given them refuge. If there are 40 terrorists here then my life is in danger as well. Please do come here but in a civilised manner not like you’re attacking. It might be good for me too. Don’t make it an excuse to attack,” he added. The former prime minister said that whatever happened on May 9 was part of a plan. “IG Punjab should be called for what happened at Jinnah House. From Liberty Chowk [in Lahore] people were moving to Jinnah House but no one stopped them. In a fair investigation, all will be revealed.”He said that they wanted to attack Jinnah House as an excuse to ban PTI and put leaders behind bars. “How did Radio Pakistan get burned? The protest was happening someplace else but Radio Pakistan gets burned down. It is easy to identify faces these days with facial recognition. You can use NADRA’s data and identify people but that can only happen through an independent investigation.
Imran claimed to have defended the army worldwide, emphasising that criticising the army is akin to criticising his own children. He said that Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was over the moon due to the current situation as they think it will cause delay in elections. “PDM is doing what was done in East Pakistan,” he claimed. “They reached my residence on March 14. They attacked my house for 24 hours. Did I say attack?” Khan stated. “APC [armoured personnel carrier] smashed gate of my house where my wife was alone. Did I say anything?” he continued, highlighting the dangers his family faced during the raid. Refuting any claims of instigating violence, Khan stated, “When they tried to assassinate me, did I order anyone to attack them? They arrested me as if I was a terrorist.”