Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan’s main opposition party has threatened a nationwide lockdown to “eliminate the government” if authorities continue to allege mistreatment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been in prison since August last year.
Ali Amin Gandapur, chief minister of the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, on Monday issued a “warning” to the federal and Punjab provincial governments. issued. It is led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) party, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“Imran Khan is not provided with food. The electricity in his cells was interrupted. He is not allowed to meet people. I warn you: if this continues we plan to shut down Pakistan and remove this government,” he said in a video message posted on X.
Gandapur made the statement when Khan’s sisters Alima Khan and Uzma Khan met the imprisoned leader at Adiala Jail in Punjab’s Rawalpindi on Monday and Tuesday. They later told reporters they were worried their brother was being “mistreated” by authorities.
On Wednesday, a message was posted to Khan’s “I wasn’t allowed to go outside. “My doctors, family and lawyers have been banned from visiting me for several weeks,” the message said.
PTI leader Sayed Zulfi Bukhari told Al Jazeera on Wednesday that the party plans to launch mass protests in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in the coming days. “This will be the beginning of a nationwide mobilization with the sole goal of ensuring his victory. [Khan’s] Release him,” he said.
Buhari said Khan was a “brave and courageous leader” who “never once complained about his health.”
But his sisters confirmed that Khan was not allowed to meet people for two weeks, had no electricity in his cell and was not allowed to move or exercise. “The food given to him was insufficient,” he added.
Khan was jailed in dozens of cases, including sedition and ‘terrorism’, by the government led by cricketer-turned-politician Sharif after he was removed from power in a 2022 vote of no confidence in parliament. Khan has been granted bail and acquitted in several cases but remains in jail, which PTI says is a ploy to prevent his return to power.
Khan’s party has accused the government and Pakistan’s powerful military of waging a campaign to keep him imprisoned. The government and military, which once supported Khan’s political rise, have denied this. charge.
PTI has repeatedly expressed concern about Khan’s jail time and even said his life was in danger.
The opposition’s claims were echoed on October 15 by Khan’s London-based ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith. In her viral post about
“We have now been informed that the authorities have cut off the lights and electricity in his cell and he can no longer leave his cell. A prison cook has been sent on leave. He is now completely isolated, literally in solitary confinement in the dark, with no contact with the outside world.” She added that Khan’s lawyers are concerned for his safety.
In July, the United Nations Human Rights Working Group also issued a statement calling for Khan’s immediate release, saying he had been arbitrarily imprisoned in violation of international law.
PTI’s concerns follow the October 4 government order banning visitors to Adiala Jail due to “security concerns”. The order was issued days before Pakistan is scheduled to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the capital Islamabad on October 15-16. The summit brought together Chinese Premier Li Qiang and regional leaders in the city.
PTI had earlier called for protests near Pakistan’s parliament building in Islamabad on October 15 to demand Khan’s release and against a constitutional amendment that would give parliament the power to appoint the Supreme Court’s top judge. The amendment was passed on October 21.
However, the opposition party canceled its protest after the government sent a medical team to check whether Khan was incarcerated. Doctors examined Khan and said he was “well.”
Adiala officials said this week that Khan had resumed meetings with his family, lawyers and party leaders.
Last week, Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, who had also been in prison since January, was released on bail in a case related to the sale of illegal gifts received by Khan and his government when he was in power from 2018 to 2022.
Some Pakistani analysts said PTI’s threat of a nationwide shutdown revealed a “lack of strategy.” Majid Nizami, a Lahore-based political analyst, told Al Jazeera PTI leaders lack unity on their course of action.
“Some leaders want to suggest agitation and start a movement, trying to play the victim card of Khan being jailed. “I don’t think there are any health problems, but it is just being used for political gain,” he said.
Another political commentator, Talat Hussain, expressed skepticism about Gandapur’s video statement.
“It sounds familiar; we’ve all been there, seen it, heard it. He is trying to stay in the power struggle within PTI. This is all talk, not walking,” the analyst told Al Jazeera.
Nizami believes the threats from Gandapur were aimed more at keeping PTI workers “motivated”.
“Over the past six months, PTI has made several attempts at nationwide agitation but failed to have any impact to put pressure on the government. “This may perhaps create frustration within the PTI leadership,” he said.
