ISLAMABAD: With PTI Chairman Imran Khan now behind bars for 100 days, his party has alleged that the former prime minister was being persecuted for his unwavering commitment to haqeeqi azadi (real freedom) and adherence to his principles.

In a statement, the party spokesperson claimed that Mr Khan was being punished for sticking to his principles and due to his uncompromising nature and firm stance to restore the sanctity of the Constitution and uphold the supremacy of the rule of law in the country.

He demanded that the Supreme Court come forward to save the state from a major disaster, which was standing at the most critical juncture of its history, and take up the gauntlet to resolve the crises by restoring the Constitution and the rule of law in its true letter and spirit.

The spokesperson urged that Mr Khan should be immediately released and the ongoing process of crushing the PTI using state power should be abandoned immediately. Besides, an environment of free and transparent elections should be created so people can exercise their right to vote without fear.

He alleged that the state had been trampling the Constitution, law and values under its feet for the last 20 months to break Mr Khan’s morale, claiming that he was being subjected to the worst cruelty, brutality and bullying, but all the tactics were proving to be unsuccessful.

“From being shot in an assassination attempt to his house being attacked, vandalised, tear-gassed and now illegally incarcerated in a small cell while being denied access to justice, Imran Khan has stood on his principles and remained true to every word and claim of his,” the party official said.

“History will remember him for standing on the right side when it mattered, along with over 10,000 other prisoners of conscience and those who sacrificed their lives for Pakistan’s Haqeeqi Azadi,” he said.

He alleged that new methods of brutality and “state fascism” were being adopted after every defeat to remove the incarcerated leader from the heart of the nation. He stressed that only free and fair elections could address the prevailing chaos in the country.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2023