Imran Khan cannot be forced into submission at gunpoint says party leader

Peshawar, Apr 11 (PTI) Former prime minister Imran Khan is ready to hold reconciliatory talks with Pakistan's government or any institution but he cannot be forced into submission at gunpoint, a senior party leader has said.
    The remarks by Junaid Akbar, the President of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party's unit in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, came during a media interaction on Thursday.
    Khan has been imprisoned in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi since August 2023, facing scores of cases launched after his government was toppled in April 2022.
    Khan has made it clear that he is willing to talk to anyone for the supremacy of the Constitution and the law, but he cannot be forced into submission at gunpoint, Akbar said.
    “Our doors are open, but if someone thinks they can force their will upon us by keeping Khan Sahib and our workers in jail and lodging FIRs against us, they are mistaken," he said.
    Akbar also emphasised that institutions should operate within their legally defined boundaries, and so should political parties.
    "We are ready to uphold the Constitution and law and are open to dialogue with anyone be it the government or institutions," he said.
    "While we may have grievances with the heads of some institutions, we still own and respect these institutions because they are ours," he added.
    Akbar said that both the institutions and the ruling government have continuously tried and have somewhat succeeded in creating circumstances where Khan’s fundamental rights are denied.
    He added that they are not demanding more than what the jail manual allows.
    Akbar said he repeatedly tried to meet Imran Khan, but they were made to wait 3-4 hours and later denied a meeting.
    On protests for Khan’s release, Akbar said: “This is not just an issue for Khan Sahib; it’s a national issue. The gap between institutions and the public has widened drastically...We repeatedly stress the need for strong institutions backed by the public.”
    Akbar warned that the most dangerous situation would be if the public takes to the streets without leadership, then no one may have the chance to resist.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)