ISLAMABAD; Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has issued one of his most hard-hitting statements from behind bars, categorically rejecting pressure from the country’s establishment and accusing it of running the “worst form of dictatorship” in Pakistan. The statement, released today through PTI’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle @PTIofficial, marks a further escalation in the already tense standoff between Khan and the powerful military.
Khan, who has been incarcerated at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since his conviction in graft-related cases, said that the May 9, 2023 riots were deliberately orchestrated to provide justification for an unprecedented crackdown on PTI. He alleged that the state machinery has been systematically used to dismantle his party, intimidate his relatives, and crush any form of dissent.
“My family members, who have no involvement in politics, have been abducted, harassed, and detained. My nephews Shahrez and Shershah are behind bars only because of their association with me. My wife, Bushra Bibi, has been placed in solitary confinement and denied basic rights — an act that can only be described as inhumane,” Khan declared.
He further revealed that he himself remains in solitary confinement, where he has only been allowed three meetings with lawyers or family members in the last three months. He accused the authorities of silencing the media, coercing the judiciary into complicity, and deploying the police as a tool of political persecution.
Despite this, Khan asserted that he would never bow down to what he described as “oppression and fascism.” He pledged to continue his campaign for “Haqiqi Azadi” (real freedom), even if it meant facing prolonged incarceration.
The PTI leader also touched on policy issues in his statement. He directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to adopt a firm stance against military operations and US drone strikes in tribal districts, warning that such strategies only aggravate militancy instead of curbing it. He criticized the government’s handling of Afghan refugees, calling it unjust and counterproductive. He also highlighted his environmental legacy, reminding the nation of his “Billion Tree Tsunami” project as an example of his vision for sustainable development.
Political observers believe Khan’s latest statement indicates that he has now effectively shut the door on any possible negotiation or reconciliation with the military establishment. According to them, the tone of his remarks suggests that Khan sees no room for compromise and intends to continue mobilizing public opinion against those in power.
The military leadership, for its part, has consistently reiterated, on several occasions, that there will be “no deal” with those responsible for the May 9 attacks on military installations, which it describes as a “red line.”
This uncompromising position on both sides signals a protracted confrontation ahead, with Pakistan’s political climate likely to remain turbulent.
