Imran Khan Admits Calling for Peaceful Protest Outside GHQ Before Arrest

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan admitted on Monday that he had called for a peaceful protest outside the army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi before his arrest. Speaking to reporters during a hearing of a case inside Adiala Jail, Khan stated, “I had given a call for holding a peaceful protest outside the GHQ before my arrest… They made our peaceful protest a treason.”

Khan elaborated on the events leading up to his arrest, including an incident in Wazirabad where he was shot and named an official, yet no protest or arson ensued. He also recounted police and Rangers attacking his residence in Zaman Park on March 14 and again forcibly entering his house on March 18, coinciding with a violent episode at the Judicial Complex.

Reflecting on the March 18 incident, Khan explained his decision to call for a peaceful protest outside GHQ, anticipating his arrest. He said his legal team assured him they would cooperate with the investigation and surrender to the police.

Responding to questions, the 71-year-old former prime minister expressed his preference for martial law over a technocratic regime, stating, “An unannounced martial law, however, remains in place in the country, already.”