Pak ex-PM Imran Khan slams Gen Asim Munir, says will prefer jail than accept slavery

Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has slammed Army Chief Asim Munir and, while comparing him to a dictator who rules through brute force, said that he would prefer to live in jail than accept slavery.

He also exhorted his supporters to stage nationwide protests against the ‘hybrid’ regime. In a long post on X, the 72-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, who has been behind bars since August 2023, called on the workers of his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), to stage an uprising against the current regime after Ashura, the 10th day of mourning in Moharram to commemorate the 7th-century martyrdom of the Prophet’s grandson, Imam Hussein, which falls on July 6 this year.

‘Rise against the tyrannical system’

“To the entire nation, especially PTI workers and supporters, I urge them to rise against this tyrannical system after Ashura,” Khan posted on X on Tuesday.

Stirring political emotions from behind the bars, Khan declared that he would rather live in a dark prison cell than accept slavery under what he called a “hybrid regime”.

“I would rather live in a dark prison cell than accept this slavery,” added Khan.

Khan said that his voice is being silenced through every possible means so that his message does not reach the people.

‘When a dictator comes to power, he rules though brute force’

Commenting on Army Chief Asim Munir, Khan said, “When a dictator comes to power, he doesn’t need votes—he rules through brute force.”

Calling the judiciary in Pakistan a “sub-department of the executive”, Khan said that “courts are filled with hand-picked judges, while independent judges are rendered powerless.”

Khan, who remains a highly influential figure despite being imprisoned, accused the ruling regime of curbing democratic freedoms and suppressing political dissent.

“This only happens under martial law,” he said while adding that freedom of speech has been completely crushed in the country, and independent journalists are being targeted.

Khan has been booked in several cases in connection with the May 9, 2023, violence, which erupted after his arrest by paramilitary Rangers from the Islamabad High Court premises.