‘Democracy Hanging By A Thread’: Imran Khan In His First Address After Release

Imran Khan returned to his Lahore home on Saturday after having locked himself in the Islamabad High Court premises for hours for fear of re-arrest despite being granted bail on Friday.

Police escort Imran Khan as he arrives at the high court in Islamabad.

Source : Getty Images

New Delhi: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said the democracy is hanging by a thread and only judiciary can save it. In his first address after what the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) terms his “illegal abduction” from the Islamabad High Court and subsequent release, Imran Khan said, “Today, our democracy is hanging by a thread and the judiciary can save it. This mafia is going all out in attacking the judiciary, so I first ask the nation to stand with our judiciary and Constitution.”

Slamming the government, Imran said, “I know that a plan was devised to kill me [last year]. I know the names of all the actors involved in it, from top to bottom. I know who gave the green light. I know who gave the green light to the person I name. And colluding with them were two civilians — Shehbaz Sharif and Rana Sanaullah.”

He also thanked the judiciary and all those people who came out in his support, and the voters and PTI workers who remained peaceful in their protest.

“When there is justice, the nation is free and prosperous. In a country where there is no justice, there is neither happiness nor democracy,” he further said.

VIDEO | “When there is justice, the nation is free and prosperous. In a country where there is no justice, there is neither happiness nor democracy,” says former Pakistan PM Imran Khan in video address. pic.twitter.com/53oT4h7cHi

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 13, 2023

The PTI leader also called for an independent probe into the burning of state buildings and “firing at unarmed youth protesters.” “But I want the chief justice of Pakistan to make a panel under him for this,” he said.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan returned to his Lahore home on Saturday after having locked himself in the Islamabad High Court premises for hours for fear of re-arrest despite being granted bail on Friday.

Before leaving for Lahore, he hit out at the “imported government for kidnapping” him despite the IHC granting him bail in all cases.

“They have kidnapped me and forcibly kept me here. I want to tell the whole nation that it is their bad intention, they want to do something again and the whole nation should ready itself to protest,” he said.