"I am ready to die than live under these duffers, the question is are you ready? There is no case for me. They want to put me in jail, I am ready for it," former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan said in a video message that was recorded by Khan while he was making his way to the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday — just moments before his arrest.
In a dramatic escalation, Khan was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau as he appeared in a court in Islamabad.
Moments before his arrest, Khan posted a video on his twitter account accusing the government and the military of attempting to arrest him for two reasons.
"My reply to ISPR [Inter Services Public Relations] and attempts by PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) and their handlers to arrest me for two reasons: one, to prevent me from campaigning because Insha Allah when elections are announced I will be doing jalsas; two, to prevent me from mobilising the masses for street movement in support of Constitution if PDM government and their handlers refuse to obey the SC and violate Constitution on holding of elections," he said.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday released an old video of Imran Khan, the party's chairman, where Khan warned his supporters that he might be detained in an "illegal and baseless case," demonstrating that "fundamental rights and democracy in Pakistan have been buried."
In the video recorded in 2022, Khan said: “Maybe it is possible that I won’t get a chance to talk to you again. That’s why I want to talk about two-three things.
“Pakistan’s public has known me for 50 years; I’ve been in the eyes of the public for 50 years, I have never gone against Pakistan’s Constitution and I’ve never broken the law. Since I’ve been in politics, I have always tried that [all] my struggle would be peaceful and within the ambits of the Constitution,” he said addressing his supporters.
“What is being done today is not because I have broken any law but it is being done so that I accept this corrupt cabal of crooks that have been imposed on us. They want me to accept them.”
“I appeal today to everyone that you all have to come out. Freedom is not given on a plate — you have to work hard and struggle for it.”