Shoaib Shaheen, the spokesperson for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has asserted that the government and the establishment will be held accountable for any harm that may befall the incarcerated party founder, Imran Khan. Speaking outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office in Islamabad, Shaheen questioned why terrorists specifically targeted Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan is held, instead of other prisons across the country.
This statement follows the Counter Terrorism Department’s (CTD) claim of arresting three “Afghan” terrorists with a map of Adiala Jail, a hand grenade, and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Imran Khan, the ousted prime minister, is currently serving multiple sentences in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, including charges related to Toshakana, an un-Islamic marriage, and the cipher case. A failed assassination attempt on Khan occurred in November 2022 during an anti-government rally in Wazirabad, resulting in leg injuries.
Despite Khan’s imprisonment, PTI secured a significant number of seats in the National Assembly. Shaheen alleges that records related to the 2024 nationwide election results were tampered with, showing an improbable 99.99% vote count at some polling stations. The party plans to release a “white paper” addressing this issue and intends to pursue legal action, based on Form 45, against returning officers involved in alleged tampering.
Shaheen claims that PTI, Jamaat-e-Islami, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, and independent candidate Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar possess identical Form 45 documents. Criticizing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, Shaheen predicts another loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), asserting that the financial burden will ultimately fall on the nation while benefiting the elites. In response to a question, Shaheen reiterated that PTI would not engage in negotiations with what he referred to as “dacoits” under any circumstances.
