ISLAMABAD: As tensions escalate with India, the PTI has demanded an immediate release of its founder and former prime minister Imran Khan to “unite the nation”.

The demand was made during a joint meeting of the party’s political committee and core committee held on Thursday to thoroughly deliberate on the prevailing political and security situation in the country.

Central information secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram said the party expressed grave concern over the escalating national security situation and the absence of credible leadership at a time when the country was facing severe external threats.

He stated that the PTI demanded an immediate and unconditional release of the imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan, emphasising that his leadership was not only indispensable but also vital for the survival and cohesion of the Pakistani nation in this defining moment.

According to him, the PTI founder’s ability to mobilise and unite the nation, credibility on national security, and his unwavering resolve were unmatched.

He went on to say that silencing and keeping the PTI founder in solitary confinement at such a critical time was not only a miscarriage of justice but an enmity towards the state and the people.

The PTI leader further said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India — driven by the extremist ideology of the RSS — has emerged as a growing threat to regional peace. “We unequivocally condemn this war-mongering and expansionist ambitions that imperil regional stability.”

Mr Akram said that in stark contrast to the government’s inaction, the hero of Balakot, Imran Khan, was demonstrating unmatched courage and clarity of purpose from prison. He asserted that despite being subjected to nearly two years of unjust imprisonment, and denied access to legal counsel and his family, Imran Khan remained the only voice consistently defending Pakistan’s sovereignty and calling for national unity.

He further said that Imran Khan had made it clear: “Peace is our priority, but it must not be mistaken for weakness.”

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2025