Barrister Ali Zafar, a central leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), expressed confidence that Imran Khan, the party's leader and former prime minister, would be released from jail soon. Speaking to a private TV channel program, Zafar highlighted that legally, Khan’s cases had effectively come to an end, and there was no legitimate reason for his continued detention. According to Zafar, the remaining hurdles were political, not legal, and he argued that Khan’s release was a matter of when, not if. Zafar explained that with the conclusion of the legal proceedings, including the constitutional and criminal cases against Khan, there was no reason to keep him in jail.

"If we remove the political issues, there’s no reason why Imran Khan can’t be released tomorrow," he said. Zafar further clarified that while constitutional cases related to political matters would be taken to the constitutional court, the criminal cases, which he termed "baseless," would be addressed by the Supreme Court, and he was optimistic that the verdicts would be overturned. The PTI leader acknowledged that public frustration had been growing due to the delay in announcing a protest date. He noted that the absence of a clear plan had left some supporters disappointed. However, Zafar reassured the public that the legal battle for Khan’s release needed to be coupled with street protests, emphasizing that "a legal battle must be accompanied by street protests."

He underscored that the key to Khan’s freedom lay in the participation of the people in these protests, urging them not to lose hope. In contrast, PML-N’s Tariq Fazal Chaudhry responded to Zafar's remarks by stressing that the legal route was the proper avenue for Khan’s release, not public protests or foreign influence. Chaudhry pointed out that the courts and the rule of law were the only legitimate means for securing Khan's freedom. He also dismissed any suggestion that external factors, such as former U.S. President Donald Trump, could play a role in Khan's release, calling it an unrealistic expectation.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan