The jailed former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, blamed the unrest in Bangladesh on systemic "oppression" and called for an end to the prevailing crackdown on his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, on Tuesday.
Khan, 71, made these remarks while meeting a group of lawyers at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
According to one of the attorneys present, Intizar Panjutha, Khan maintained that these stringent measures the country enforced prior to the February 8 elections were to blame for this backlash. Khan said that what happened on May 9 was like a general response by the public, which was dissatisfied with the manipulations carried in the elections.
Elaborating further, Panjutha said Khan categorically pointed to the need for a reappraisal regarding these decisions, explaining that inflation had devoured into the economy of Pakistan. He drew parallels with Bangladesh, suggesting that similar sorts of oppression had escalated the situation there, and appealed for ending the crackdown on the PTI.
Khan also underlined the complete issue of corruption and announced that a committee would be set in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to take this up. He praised the KP Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, for his efforts in the region, saying it was a "commendable effort" in the region during the Swabi rally.
He also thanked his supporters in the Swabi rally held on August 5 for the anniversary of his arrest. He asked the bar to appeal to the people to show the national flag during the night of August 13.
The delegation that called on Khan comprised Zubair Kasana, Moazzam Butt, Sohail Sultan, Sameer Khosa, Haroon Janjua, besides Intizar Panjutha.
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