Gohar Ali Khan, the head of the Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI or Pakistan Movement for Justice) party previously led by former premier Imran Khan, confirmed that Pakistan and the movement stand with the Palestinian people just as they support all issues concerning the Islamic Ummah and Muslims.

In an interview for Al Mayadeen, Ali Khan said his country's position, in this regard, has been long clear and in line with the Islamic nations' consensus.

The Pakistani party leader pointed out that this was the stance of the former Prime Minister, confirming that Imran Khan did not take any steps to recognize the Israeli occupation entity.

He emphasized that Pakistan and the movement "have no reason to take any action in that direction," adding, "We stand with the Palestinian people, as we stand with the Kashmiri people, in addition to supporting causes related to Muslims, which is a goal of ours."

An appeal for his release

Popular leader Imran Khan was recently sentenced to a combined 31 years in prison in several separate cases; allegedly selling state secrets, being "illegally married" to his wife under Islamic Law, and one related to graft. His wife, Bushra Bibi, was charged in two of the cases alongside her husband, the marriage legality allegations and the graft, and was sentenced to 21 years, which she will serve at home.

Commenting on the verdict and the overall situation in Pakistan, Ali Khan said that "great injustice has been inflicted upon Imran Khan and his family," considering that "the law was unfair to him, as he was sentenced to 10 years [in one case], despite clear violations of judicial procedures."

In this context, Ali Khan explained to Al Mayadeen that the former Prime Minister was "deprived of his right to present evidence and confront witnesses," leading to an "unjust decision in the encrypted message case," referring to the alleged selling of government secrets.

He also emphasized that the verdict on corruption allegations against Imran Khan's wife was issued without any evidence demonstrating her involvement in the case.

On that matter, Ali Khan told Al Mayadeen that the movement will work on appealing the cases to the Pakistani Supreme Court, noting that he expects that the appeal "will not only overturn the judicial ruling against Imran Khan but also lead to his release."

For fair and transparent elections

Despite being deemed "ineligible" for the February elections, Imran Khan retains significant political influence due to his widespread support and anti-establishment stance.

Confirming that the party will move forward with its responsibilities, Ali Khan said the PTI "will remain active in its political fieldwork, while also pursuing judicial and legal actions," urging the party's supporters to "remain calm and peaceful, focusing on electoral campaigns, and coming out in large numbers on the 8th of February to exercise their right to vote."

Moreover, he pointed out that the party is "suffering greatly these days," as most of its leaders "are either hiding or detained, even women who should not be in prison," explaining that their imprisonment aims to discourage them from rejoining or supporting the movement again.

Read more: Imran Khan PTI party leader and electoral candidate shot dead in rally

Following Imran Khan's arrest in May 2023, Pakistan witnessed violent protests amid a crackdown against his supporters and party leaders.

Ali Khan noted that the movement "had no freedom to hold gatherings for its supporters and has been prevented from organizing party marches," stating that what can be done now is "to ask our candidate to reach out to our supporters and inform them of our electoral slogan and how to cast their votes."

On relations with other parties and the military in Pakistan, Ali Khan told Al Mayadeen that "this dispute must end, and we must work to make the country progress," warning that "starting a fight among ourselves is the worst thing that can happen."

Read more: Pakistan braces for more explosions during elections, police on alert

He also stressed that the upcoming elections are crucial, and "we must move forward," emphasizing that "the best way to do this is to work towards holding fair, transparent, and accountable elections, and to ensure that there are no clashes again."

'Strong and protected Pakistan'

The leader of PTI conveyed a message to the Pakistani people through his exclusive interview for Al Mayadeen, clarifying that "Imran Khan is in prison, but he has not disappeared. His vision and perspective are for all Pakistanis. He wants democracy, the rule of law, and freedom for everyone, as well as a strong and protected Pakistan."

In conclusion, Ali Khan called on the Pakistani people to vote for PTI candidates and "work to choose them in order to enable us to make the necessary reforms for the country, for all citizens."

It is worth noting that the string of allegations against the former premier started to surface when he revealed a confidential document during a rally, presenting it as evidence of threats and asserting a US conspiracy in his ousting.
 
The document, known as Cipher, has not been publicly disclosed by the government or Khan's lawyers, and it purportedly comprises diplomatic correspondences between the Pakistani Ambassador to Washington and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad.

Read more: It's all in 'Cypher': How US exerted pressure on Pakistan to oust Khan