PTI founder decides to 'observe hunger strike' over 'mistreatment' in jail

RAWALPINDI: Former prime minister Imran Khan has decided to go on hunger strike over "mistreatment" in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, Geo News reported citing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) sources.

The party sources said after consultation with the PTI leaders, the imprisoned party founder would decide when to begin the strike.

They said he had convened his party leaders a day ago but the Adiala Jail authorities did not allow them to meet. Khan kept waiting inside the prison and the party leaders outside for three hours to meet the party chief but to no avail, as per the party sources. 

After their request for the meeting was denied, the PTI founder issued directives to the leaders to stop bringing internal rifts into the public.

"The PTI founder had summoned leaders of both the factions to jail a day ago to end disagreements between them," the sources maintained.

Talking to the media outside Adiala jail, PTI leaders on Thursday said they were denied a permission to meet the party's founder in Rawalpindi's Adiala jail despite waiting for a few hours outside the facility.

Imran has been facing a slew of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism since his removal from the office of prime minister back in April 2022, when he became the only premier to be voted out.

The PTI founder has been in jail since last August and was convicted in some cases ahead of the nationwide election earlier this year. He is also fighting dozens of other cases.

His release from prison was seemingly closed last month, but a court in Islamabad dismissed his petition for the suspension of sentence in the iddat case.