Imran Khan Vows To Lead Protest Movement From Jail
Imprisoned Pakistani opposition leader Imran Khan announced on Wednesday that he would lead a nationwide protest movement from behind bars, accusing the country’s ruling institutions of electoral fraud and denying his party a legitimate mandate in February’s general elections. The statement, posted on X (formerly Twitter) from Central Jail Rawalpindi, renews Khan’s challenge to the political and military establishment that has sidelined him since his ouster in 2022.
In his Urdu-language message, Khan called on opposition parties, including the Grand Democratic Alliance, to join what he described as a campaign to restore democracy and the rule of law in Pakistan. He directed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Omar Ayub to act as his public representative and assigned legal adviser Salman Akram Raja to execute his instructions.
“As the party’s chairman, I will now personally lead this protest movement from behind bars,” Khan declared, vowing to confront what he described as a system hijacked by the judiciary, election commission, and military elite. “There is no rule of law in this country; it’s a jungle.”
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Khan accused the former chief justice and the former head of the Election Commission of Pakistan of engineering widespread fraud in the February 8 elections, which PTI-backed independents claim they won. The party has demanded a recount and Khan’s release. “Those who stole our two-thirds majority are terrified of us even winning a by-election because they fear my release from jail,” he wrote.
Despite being convicted and sentenced in multiple cases, Khan remains one of the country’s most popular figures, with over 21 million followers on X and deep support among young voters and Pakistan’s urban middle class. PTI-backed candidates won more seats than any other party but were prevented from forming a government after many victories were reclassified or invalidated.
Khan also condemned conditions in jail and the broader erosion of civil liberties. “My fundamental rights have been stripped. I’ve been imprisoned for two years; my wife has been held for 14 months. The judiciary doesn’t defend human rights,” he wrote, adding that even his books are censored.
He issued a pointed message to Pakistan’s military, which many believe continues to wield power behind the scenes. “You need PTI — I don’t need you. True power lies with the people, and only PTI, the genuine representative of the public, can help restore the army’s image among the masses.”
Khan warned that without democratic legitimacy, Pakistan’s economy would remain stalled. “No formula will work unless a government reflecting the people’s will is established. Until then, economic revival will remain a distant dream.”
