The video was recorded in 2022 but was re-released by the party hours after Khan’s arrest on Tuesday.
Here is the transcript of the video:
“My fellow Pakistanis, when these words of mine reach you I will already be closed inside in an unlawful case. After this, you all should realise that fundamental rights, law and democracy have been buried.
“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.
“What is being done today is not because I have broken any law but only for me to step back from the haqeeqi azaadi tehreek.
“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.”
Earlier video
In another 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 — the 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician said that the Shehbaz Sharif government wants to put him in jail and he is ready for it.
“I am ready to die than live under these duffers, the question is are you ready? There is no case on me. They want to put me in jail, I am ready for it,” said Khan.
“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 added.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief doubled down on his allegations against a serving senior military officer, who Khan has accused on several occasions of hatching a plot to assassinate him.
In his video, Imran Khan replied to the ISPR and “attempts by PDM and their handlers” regarding his arrest. He said that he was departing for the federal capital as he was scheduled to appear before two courts.
His biting rejoinder comes a day after the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that “irresponsible and baseless allegations” by Imran against the said military officer without evidence were “extremely unfortunate, deplorable and unacceptable”.
“Before I leave, I want to say two things. Firstly, the ISPR has issued a statement that the institution has been disrespected — the army has been disrespected [by] naming an intelligence officer who has tried to kill me twice,” Imran Khan said.
“ISPR sahib, listen to me carefully. Respect is not [confined] to a single institution; respect should be for every single citizen. This man tried to kill me twice and whenever an investigation is carried out, I will prove that it was this man and there is a whole gang with him,” Imran said, adding that the nation was well aware of who was standing with the officer in question.
Imran Khan said that the truth would only surface once an investigation is carried out. “If he was innocent, it would have been revealed,” the PTI chief said, terming the officer in question to be such a “powerful personality” that he was unable to register a case despite being in power in Punjab.
Imran Khan further claimed that he would prove that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had taken over the judicial complex in Islamabad the night before he went to attend a hearing in the Toshakhana case in March.
(With inputs from agencies)