Islamabad: Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, in a meeting with his lawyer, stated that he does not wish to remain in prison.
Imran Khan was arrested on Saturday from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore after being convicted with accusations of misusing his 2018 to 2022 premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and worth more than Rs 140 million (USD 635,000).
Khan, who is sentenced to three years, denies the allegations against him and is unhappy and worried as he remains holed up in his prison cell at the Attock jail. He also conveyed his concerns regarding the environment at the prison with flies taking over his cell during the day and insects at night.
“Take me out of here; I don’t want to remain in jail,” he said.
The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has appealed his conviction by filing a plea at the Islamabad High Court.
Khan’s counsel Naeem Haider Panjotha was granted access by the jail authorities Monday to meet him, who after seeing the PTI chairman said that the former premier was being kept in “distressing” conditions provided “C-Class jail facilities”.
Panjotha said that Khan was in high morale despite all such difficulties and vowed to spend his lifetime in jail but wouldn’t bow to slavery.
The party of the former prime minister, who was ousted from office after a no-confidence motion was moved against him in April 2022, has moved the Supreme Court against the trial court’s order, seeking to declare Judge Dilawar’s verdict “null and void”.
The PTI has also approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq requesting Khan’s transfer from Attock jail to Adiala jail.
Khan was earlier arrested on May 9 in Islamabad from the high court’s premises in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case, sparking violent protests by his supporters. He was released later.
Khan faces more than 140 cases across the country and charges like terrorism, violence, blasphemy, corruption and murder.
With inputs from PTI