Imran Khan unlikely to walk free in near future, says Aleema Khan

• Aleema claims judges are under pressure and it is clearly visible.
• Adds £190 million case hearing now fixed for June 26.
• KP CM slams "delaying tactic" in court proceedings.  
  

ISLAMABAD: Aleema Khan, the sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, on Wednesday asserted that she does not see his release happening anytime soon, asking the party leadership to decide now how to secure his freedom.

Speaking to journalists outside the Islamabad High Court, she claimed that the judges are under pressure and it is clearly visible.

“We are standing in solidarity with the judges, but even that doesn’t seem to be enough,” she said, adding that it appears the plan is to keep the PTI founder incarcerated for several more months.

Regarding the £190 million case, she said the hearing on the appeals seeking suspension of Imran's sentence has now been fixed for June 26. “They kept telling us that we would be informed of the next date next week, but we made it clear that we won’t leave until we get a hearing date,” Aleema said, adding that the court later fixed June 26.

Responding to a question regarding the PTI's movement, Aleema said that Imran was satisfied with preparations for the movement. “This movement can no longer be stopped. All doors have been shut on us,” she added.

Last month, Imran — who declared himself PTI's patron-in-chief — asked his party workers and leadership to get ready for a “major nationwide movement" to send the incumbent coalition government packing.

During his interactions with journalists outside Central Jail Adiala, Aleema said that Imran would not call people to Islamabad. "The PTI founder said the movement will be launched across Pakistan," she added. However, she did not give a particular date for the PTI’s upcoming movement.

The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been behind bars since August 2023 after he was booked in multiple cases ranging from corruption to terrorism since his ouster from power via the opposition's no-trust motion in April 2022.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, for his part, said the 26th Constitutional Amendment had ended judicial independence.

He criticised the ongoing delays in court proceedings, saying, “One day, the lawyer says he’s not prepared, the next day the judge is on leave – this is all a drama and delaying tactic.”

He said that everyone knows there is no substance in the case against the PTI founder. “If the hearing is held properly, this case won't survive even for three minutes,” Gandapur claimed.

He said it was astonishing that the judge was reported to be on leave only in the morning and feared the same excuse would be used again on the next hearing. “Our patience and hope are both exhausted,” he said. “The Constitution and law of this country are now running on phone calls.”

In response to a question about recently presented budget, Gandapur said, “Never in history has such a ridiculous budget been introduced.”

He declared that PTI would now take to the streets for a mass movement. “Overseas Pakistanis are with us. They’re watching the situation in Pakistan closely. Anyone who raises their voice for the PTI founder globally – we stand with them,” he said, urging the overseas community to openly protest.