Pakistan
Imran Khan says Islamabad rally postponed to avoid clash
PTI founder asks his party leaders to get ready and hold public rally at every cost on the next date given by the local administration
Rawalpindi: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said that he was informed in jail that due to the Islamabad rally, there could be clash.
In an informal conversation with journalists at Adiala Jail, he said that the Islamabad rally was postponed because of the Khatm-e-Nubuwwat issue.
He was told that Khatm-e-Nubuwwat is a sensitive matter and religious groups were protesting in Islamabad.
There was a fear of unrest, so the rally was postponed. He added that had they held the rally yesterday, there was a risk of another May 9 incident, and the judicial inquiry of the previous May 9 event has not been conducted yet.
Imran Khan further said that if permission is given and attempts are made to stop the rally, the government will be held responsible. Now, it's a question of the credibility of the court, whether the court grants permission or the administration cancels it. He instructed his party not to tolerate any obstacles on September 8. He emphasized that he has postponed the Islamabad rally for the last time. He directed the party to meet before September 8 and decide when to protest if the Supreme Court's decision is not implemented. He instructed the party leadership that this time, if anyone tries to stop them, they should not back down.
When a journalist asked about the response to the trial of General (Retd) Faiz, questioning who Imran Khan is to demand an open trial of Faiz Hameed, they assured that if there is a trial, it will indeed be open.
Imran Khan replied that he is the leader of the largest party in the country and is advocating for an open trial. He rejected the accusation that he conspired with Faiz on the May 9 incident, asserting that he had started the party from scratch and had been struggling within the constitution for 28 years.
If Faiz was involved in May 9, there should be an open trial. This is not a military issue, nor is it a sensitive international matter.
The PTI founder also said that if the Hamoodur Rahman report had been implemented, democracy would have prevailed in the country. An open trial will benefit the country just as the implementation of the Hamoodur Rahman report would have. He added that if the report had been enforced, there would not have been three martial laws, nor would there be an undeclared martial law in place today. He described May 9 as an attack on democracy and demanded a commission to prevent future mistakes.
Regarding a question about sending a message to Azam Swati late at night, Imran Khan smiled and said to leave that question unanswered.
When asked about his sister's leaked audio in which she claimed that the PTI founder never ordered the rally to be postponed and that party leaders were using his name to announce the postponement, Imran Khan replied that the entire party was upset and angry about the postponement. He also believed the rally should not have been postponed but did so only to avoid unrest. He asserted that rallies will now be held in every district, no matter what.
A journalist asked whether the federal government or someone else had sent a message in jail warning him that the situation outside could deteriorate. Imran Khan responded that he had not spoken to any government official. He added that whenever there is any suspicion of PTI having talks with the establishment, the government quickly recalls May 9.
Imran Khan also said that Nawaz Sharif's backpack is ready for London, with only necessary items left to pack. This is all happening for Chief Justice Faiz Isa's extension. He claimed that two games are underway: if they can't extend Isa's term, they will bring in their own person by manipulating seniority, and neither of these scenarios is acceptable. If they proceed with this plan, there will be massive protests across the country.
When asked if there were reports of a "meeting with angels" last night and whether that's why he suddenly started receiving inside information, Imran Khan responded that whenever there's chaos within PML-N, it signals that they suspect PTI is in talks with the establishment. However, he reiterated that he had not discussed the rally with the government. He decided to postpone the rally after being informed that unrest could ensue.
Imran Khan added that it is now a matter of judicial credibility—whether the court grants permission for the rally while the administration cancels the NOC. PTI is the only party not being allowed to hold a rally in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, after a year, the PTI founder was provided with an electric toothbrush and books. During today's hearing, he appeared smiling, calm, and in good spirits.