Arrest 'expected', says Imran Khan; asks supporters 'not to sit silent'

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Imran Khan on Saturday in a pre-recorded video said that his arrest was «expected» and asked his supporters «not to sit silent» and stand up for their rights and freedom. The 70-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman was arrested from his Zaman Park residence here after the Islamabad trial court convicted him in the Toshakhana case and sentenced him to three-year imprisonment. In a pre-recorded statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Khan said, «By the time this video message reaches you, I would be arrested and in jail...which is why I have a request...an appeal to all of you...you should not sit at home in silence.

These earnest efforts of mine are not for me but for my people, my community, for you. I am doing it for you. I am doing it for the good fortune of your children.» «If you will not stand for your rights, you will live a life of slavery, and mind you, slaves do not have a life,» he said.

Freedom, the former prime minister said, doesn't come on a platter. «They (the military establishment and the Shehbaz Sharif-led government) want to enslave you, but you have to stand up for your rights and freedom,» he said, urging people to exercise their voting rights to remove the corrupt government in the next elections. Pakistan is likely to have general elections in the coming months as the current National Assembly's term will end on August 12.

In the tweet accompanying the video, Khan said his arrest was expected, so he recorded the message before his arrest. «It is one more step in fulfilling the London Plan (made by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif) but I want my party workers to remain peaceful, steadfast and strong. We bow before no one but Allah who is Al Haq.