Pakistan's imprisoned former prime minister, Imran Khan, asserted that his party had been unjustly stripped of victory in the national election held in February, labeling it as the 'most significant misappropriation of a public mandate'.
Khan, addressing the Supreme Court via video link from Adyala jail in Rawalpindi, voiced his confinement in solitary confinement, marking his first public remarks since his incarceration in August.
He lamented, 'My party is facing persecution, with blatant human rights violations. The election on February 8 constituted the most substantial misappropriation of a public mandate.'
Although the Election Commission refuted allegations of election manipulation, Khan, a 71-year-old ex-cricketer turned politician, remains embroiled in various corruption cases, which he and his Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf Party (PTI) attribute to political motives aimed at thwarting his return to power.
Despite his backed candidates securing the majority of seats in the February election, they fell short of the requisite majority for forming a government. Consequently, his rival Shehbaz Sharif assumed office as the Prime Minister, leading a coalition government.
In a recent court appearance permitted by the top court, Khan presented petitions against adjustments made to the country's anti-graft laws, alleging bias towards corrupt politicians. However, his request to live-stream the proceedings was declined, with the court citing the lack of public interest in the case.
Since his removal from office in a 2022 parliamentary vote, Khan has faced numerous legal battles, with allegations of military intervention in his ouster despite denial from the army.
