File photo of PTI chief Imran Khan
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday reiterated allegations of a ‘London Plan’ to imprison and ‘humiliate’ him, adding a protest planned by the ruling alliance aims to ‘overawe’ the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP).
In a series of posts on Twitter, the PTI chief—whose arrest last week in a corruption case triggered mass rioting until his release on the orders of the Supreme Court—alleged that authorities were using the “pretext of violence while I was inside the jail” to assume the role of judge, jury and executioner. “The plan now is to humiliate me by putting Bushra begum in jail and using some sedition law to keep me inside for next ten years,” he claimed, without offering any evidence per routine.
After he were arrested, he claimed, there would be a “complete crackdown” on whatever was left of the PTI leadership and its workers. Over the past week, the government has confirmed the arrest of over 1,000 PTI workers and leaders nationwide for their alleged role in the ransacking and destruction of public and private property, including military buildings. “And finally they will ban the largest and only federal party of Pakistan,” he said, seeking to draw a link to the ban on the Awami League prior to the creation of Bangladesh.
“To ensure that there’s is no public reaction, they have done two things, first deliberate terror is unleashed not just on PTI workers but on common citizens as well. Second, the media is totally controlled and muzzled,” he alleged, adding unsubstantiated rumors of a looming suspension of internet services and a ban on social media.
“Meanwhile, as we speak, houses are being broken in and shamelessly police is manhandling the women of the houses,” he claimed. “Never has the sanctity of chadar and chaar dewaari been violated the way it is being done by these criminals,” he lamented, alleging that the aim was to instill “so much fear in people” that they would not come out to protest if he were re-arrested.
The PTI chief further alleged that the aim of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl)’s planned sit-in outside the Supreme Court against the CJP’s leniency toward him was “to overawe the Chief Justice of Pakistan so that he doesn’t give a verdict according to the Constitution.”
Khan concluded his Twitter thread by vowing to continue his fight for “real independence” until his death. “Countries where there is injustice and law of jungle prevails, don’t survive for long,” he added.
This isn’t the first time Khan has alleged a so-called “London Plan,” which he claims was hatched by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been in self-exile in the U.K. capital since 2019.