Daily Times

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supremo Imran Khan on Monday expressed concerns that he and his wife, Bushra Bibi, might be sent to a military jail in connection with the 9 May cases.

Speaking to the media during a hearing of the £190 million reference, Khan stated, “They plan to send me to a military jail for the 9 May incidents.”

He clarified that he had called for peaceful protests outside General Headquarters (GHQ) if arrested but never authorised any violent actions.

Khan accused Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of stealing CCTV footage related to the May 9 events and condemned the arrest of party spokesperson Raoof Hasan. Addressing Attaullah Tarar’s claims about his VIP jail conditions, Khan invited the media to visit his cell, stating, “If Tarar is telling the truth, he should meet me. Let the media see my cell for two minutes.”

He lamented the biased treatment of PTI workers detained in military jails, suggesting a plan to also incarcerate him under similar charges. He also mentioned that the Toshakhana reference had been politicized, with selective action against him while ignoring cases against Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari.

Detailing alleged judicial attacks and police misconduct against him, Khan recounted incidents on February 8, March 14, and March 18, asserting his calls for peaceful protests if detained. He criticised the treatment of PTI members and the role of certain political figures in manipulating judiciary processes.

Khan attributed the country’s economic crisis to mismanagement by previous governments, highlighting the significant current account deficit left by the PML-N government.

The former prime minister asserted that democracy is being undermined and questioned the Chief Election Commissioner’s alignment with the PML-N. He further criticised General (retd) Faiz’s appointment and mentioned an international interview based on points he communicated from jail.

Khan concluded by rejecting the notion of a technocrat setup as a solution to Pakistan’s crises, advocating for transparent elections as the only remedy for the country’s challenges. He accused Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi of being a fraud acting under higher authority and refused to apologise for his actions, demanding an apology from others instead. He also called for a judicial commission to investigate the attack on Bannu peace march.

Separately, an accountability court on Monday extended the physical remand of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi by seven days in newly filed Toshakhana reference by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The decision follows a request by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for a 14-day extension to continue their investigations into allegations of receiving illicit gifts and selling them for profit. Imran and Bushra will be presented in court again on July 29 for further proceedings.

Earlier on July 13, Imran and Bushra were acquitted in the Iddat case, however, PTI’s relief was short-lived as the accountability watchdog arrested the PTI supremo in a new Toshakhana reference.

In the new NAB reference, the couple is accused of purchasing a jewelry set from the Toshakhana and selling it. The set is valued at Rs75 million.