Imran Khan to lead anti-govt protest from jail on second anniversary of arrest

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will lead the protest from jail and wants the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party's movement against the government to "hit its peak" on August 5 — the day he completes two years in prison, his sister Aleema Khan said.

Aleema Khan said that Imran Khan has directed PTI to begin its anti-government movement after the 10th of Muharram, Geo News reported. 

While speaking to reporters at Gorakhpur check post, Aleema Khan said, "Muharram 10 has passed [...] the party will unveil its strategy now. Khan made the remarks after she, along with Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan, met Imran Khan at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail.

She said that Imran Khan would lead the protest from prison and criticised the party leadership, quoting Khan as saying that he was free in prison while they are imprisoned outside, Geo News reported.

Aleema Khan said, "Our family knows about the protest plan." However, she did not reveal the details regarding the upcoming demonstration. She stated that PTI leaders would inform the media regarding the plan at an appropriate time.

She further stated that the protest route, whether it would begin from Peshawar and proceed to Lahore, will be decided and revealed by PTI. She announced that Imran Khan's entire family would be part of the upcoming protest.

Aleema Khan said that Imran Khan conveyed that those who were not able to carry the burden of the political movement should step down.

She also spoke about the suspension of 26 PTI lawmakers in the Punjab Assembly, saying that the decision to suspend these lawmakers was taken to "appease [Punjab Chief Minister] Maryam Nawaz."

Aleema Khan alleged that Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were kept in solitary confinement and Khan has not been allowed to meet his physician for the last 10 months. She accused Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz of being involved in the restrictive measures being imposed on Khan, Geo News reported.

Speaking to reporters, Imran Khan's sister, Noreen Niazi, said that he was in good health. However, she alleged that the jail authorities did not allow Imran Khan to watch television, read newspapers or any reading material for the past week.

Last week, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram said his party first delayed the nationwide protests due to the conflict between Israel and Iran, and later it was postponed out of respect for Muharram days, as per the report.

PTI spokesperson said that protests in the first phase would be held in provinces and districts. In response to a question, he said the PTI workers should not be exposed to live bullets. He said, "When the first bullet was fired, the PTI founder won."