(17 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
++PLEASE NOTE: SOUNDBITE AUDIO AS INCOMING++
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Peshawar, Pakistan – 17 January 2025
1. Various of supporters of Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan protesting, chanting in Urdu “Free Imran Khan“ and "Oh God, oh Prophet, Imran Khan Is innocent“
2. Female supporters chanting ion Urdu “We do not accept these rules of oppression“
3. Top shot of protest
4. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Aisha Bano, Khan party (PTI party) leader in Peshawar:
“Khan Sahib (referring to Imran Khan) has repeatedly said with his own mouth that he will prefer to die than make any deal with the government. He has not committed any theft, nor has he ever done anything that forced him to become a part of it. As far as these cases are concerned, they were brought out of malice. We are hopeful that, as the other cases in the past have been thrown out, these cases will also be thrown out – God willing.”
5. Various of supporters, some carrying Khan’s picture
6. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Ali Zaman, party local leader:
“Khan Sahib has been wrongly punished under the NAB (National Accountability Bureau ) court. There is a provision for appeal in it. We will file an appeal, and we will ask for suspension. If the institutions (referring to government) do not intervene and do not put pressure on the court, as this decision was taken by putting pressure, then we are confident that in 10-15 days, God willing, Khan will be free.”
7. Female supporters chanting in Urdu “We won’t accept force“
8. Pan right of protest
9. Various of security at protest
STORYLINE:
Supporters of Pakistan’s imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan staged a protest Friday in the Pakistani city of Peshawar calling for his release after a court sentenced him to 14 years in jail.
Aisha Bano, the leader in Peshawar of Khan’s PTI party, was among those at the rally and claimed the former premier had been wrongly punished in a bogus case.
"He has not committed any theft, nor has he ever done anything that forced him to become a part of it. As far as these cases are concerned, they were brought out of malice," she said.
"We are hopeful that, as the other cases in the past have been thrown out, these cases will also be thrown out – God willing” added Bano.
Earlier on Friday, a Pakistani court sentenced Khan to 14 years and his wife to seven years in jail after finding them guilty of corruption.
It’s yet another blow for the former premier who has been behind bars since 2023.
The couple are accused of accepting a gift of land from a real estate tycoon in exchange for laundered money when Khan was in power.
Khan has denied wrongdoing and insisted since his arrest in 2023 that all the charges against him are a plot by rivals to keep him from returning to office.
The latest development came a day after Khan’s PTI party held a crucial round of talks with representatives of the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to demand the release of all political detainees, including Khan and other party leaders.
Ali Zaman, a local PTI leader, said he hopes Khan will be freed imminently.
“We will file an appeal, and we will ask for suspension. If the institutions do not intervene and do not put pressure on the court, as this decision was taken by putting pressure, then we are confident that in 10-15 days, God willing, Khan will be free,” said Zaman.
AP video shot by: Muhammad Arif
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