'Extreme brutality': Pakistan's PTI to launch nationwide protests for Imran Khan's release

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is set to launch a nationwide movement on August 5, marking three years since the imprisonment of party chief Imran Khan. The party's interim chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, announced that the movement will encompass public meetings, demonstrations, and a long march, aiming to secure Khan's release and address other party demands.

The decision was finalized at a meeting in Islamabad, where PTI lawmakers discussed parliamentary affairs and future strategies. PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja stated that opinions from Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas would be sought to refine the protest plans. The party also raised concerns about the health of both Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.

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Extreme brutality is being carried out here. Imran Khan is being denied meetings with his lawyers, while his sisters are also being barred from seeing him.

Imran Khan was arrested on August 5, 2023, after being convicted in the Toshakhana case. He remains incarcerated in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, reportedly in solitary confinement. PTI leaders allege that Khan has been denied meetings with his family and lawyers since December and is not receiving adequate medical care. Raja condemned the alleged "extreme brutality" and injustice, warning the government against suppressing party workers.

Supporters, lawyers, and family members of Khan have been gathering outside Adiala Jail weekly to advocate for his access to legal counsel and family visits. Khan was briefly taken to a hospital in Islamabad in June for treatment of an eye condition before being returned to prison. A PTI lawyer recently submitted a list of six leaders to jail authorities for a meeting with Khan.

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He is not given proper medical care nor is he getting justice from the courts. The oppression and injustice in the country must come to an end.