Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, ousted through a no-confidence vote, remains in prison amid allegations from his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), that he is being denied basic necessities and restricted from meeting with visitors. In response, PTI leaders have issued a stern warning, threatening a “shutdown of Pakistan” if Khan continues to face mistreatment in jail, according to Al Jazeera.
Ali Amin Gandapur, Chief Minister of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and a senior PTI leader, directly addressed the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) in Punjab province. He alleged, “Imran Khan is being deprived of food, his prison cell’s electricity has been cut off, and he is not allowed to meet his people.”
Gandapur continued, “I’m issuing a warning—if this mistreatment continues, we are ready to shut down Pakistan and bring down this government.”
Imran Khan was removed from office in 2022 after a no-confidence vote in parliament. Since then, the government led by Nawaz Sharif has filed numerous cases against him, including charges of sedition and terrorism. While Khan has been granted bail and acquitted in several cases, he remains incarcerated, with PTI leaders rallying for his release and justice.