“Imported government can never arrest me,” Imran will remark when he addresses the media at 4 o’clock, while Fawad will proclaim that there will be protests all over the country if Imran is detained.
Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said that the government cannot “ever” arrest him while their own charges are being heard in court, according to a report published by Express News on Wednesday.
A few hours after the PTI official Twitter account reported that there was information suggesting Imran may be detained during the night, the former premier made these comments when addressing the party’s senior leadership.
The PTI head reportedly said to party colleagues, “The imported government can never arrest me because their own cases are in court.”
Imran, in the meantime, tweeted that he will be giving a press conference on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
The criticism of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja was then amplified by the speaker.
Imran stated that “Fawad’s detention on the basis of his accurate description of the CEC leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind that Pakistan has turned into a banana republic devoid of rule of law.”
“To prevent Pakistan from slipping past a point of no return, we must now stand up for our fundamental rights,” he continued.
Laborers assemble to “defend” Imran
After hearing rumours that the former premier might be detained overnight, supporters of the former ruling party gathered outside the PTI chairman’s home, Zaman Park, in the early hours of Wednesday to defend him.
There have been rumours that the “puppet government may try to arrest Chairman Imran Khan tonight,” according to the PTI’s official Twitter account. It went on to say that PTI members were travelling to Zaman Park to “defend their leader”.
Before the Islamabad Kohsar police detained him on sedition-related charges, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry released a video of numerous party members and workers outside Zaman Park in the early morning hours.
Slogans of support for Imran could be heard being chanted by the gathering.
Zubair Niazi, the PTI leader, expressed concern that Imran would be arrested, while Musrat Jamshed Cheema urged workers to go to Imran’s house to ensure his safety.
After learning of the information, Fawad Chaudhary and Hamad Azhar travelled to Zaman Park in Lahore with their staff.
“National protest if Imran is detained”
Fawad explained to media representatives that there had been rumours that Imran was being sought out by the police for arrest.
He continued by saying that the former premier’s arrest would be a plot against the nation and that the “fools” had no idea that it would speed up the PTI movement.
There will be a national outcry if Imran is detained, he insisted.
Thousands of workers reportedly arrived at Zaman Park within 30 minutes of receiving the message, according to Fawad.
In addition, he asked the police to detain Imran Khan if they had the guts to do so and urged the authorities to follow the law.
“You are mistaken if you think our civility is a sign of weakness. The [PTI] workers won’t let fascism take root in the nation, he declared.
In spite of the economic situation, he said, the current administration was “afraid” of the populace and was engaged in Imran’s detention. According to Fawad, the middle-class supporters of the PTI were not carrying weapons.
He emphasised that “rapid elections are the only way to solve the issues.”
In a media interview, PTI leader Hammad Azhar claimed that conditions were being set up for Imran Khan’s arrest. He also emphasised the importance of PTI workers protecting the party’s leader and pressed for guarantees that Imran would be secure in Zaman Park.
He added that nobody had the guts to arrest Imran Khan and that the “country was enraged.”
