Imran Khan Completes 1,000 Days in Prison, PTI Demands Immediate Release

Waqas Criticizes Persistent Denial of Imran Khan’s Meetings With Family, Lawyers, Party Leadership

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan completed 1,000 days of incarceration on Friday, the party demanded his immediate release, describing his detention as a “blatant act of political victimization” and “entirely devoid of constitutional and legal justification.”

In a statement on Friday, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram expressed deep concern over the completion of 1,000 days of what he called “unlawful detention in fabricated and politically motivated cases”.

He said: “Imran Khan is a national leader who was elected by the people with a clear mandate, yet he is today a victim of a system where justice, the rule of law, and fundamental human rights are being systematically undermined.”

Waqas stated that Imran Khan is being held in solitary confinement, while his family, lawyers, and party leadership are being denied regular visitation rights, which constitutes a clear violation of fundamental human and legal rights.

Furthermore, PTI CIS expressed grave concern over various reports regarding his health, including serious apprehensions about his vision, and demanded that he be provided with the best possible medical facilities under the supervision of his personal physicians and in the presence of his family members.

Recollecting Imran Khan’s tenure, Waqas stated that the country performed well economically, politically, and diplomatically; however, the current rulers have plunged the country into a quagmire of problems. He said that the country is now facing a severe economic crisis characterized by historic inflation, rising unemployment, and a drastic decline in investment. “Due to this poor policy environment, several multinational companies are reportedly scaling down or shutting down their operations in Pakistan, posing a serious threat to the national economy,” he warned.

Moreover, PTI CIS said that detaining political leadership in total disregard of the public mandate is contrary to democratic principles, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Imran Khan, along with all other political prisoners.

He reaffirmed that the party will continue its peaceful and democratic struggle under the leadership of Imran Khan for the supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law, and restoration of genuine democracy.