Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan’s lawyer, Naeem Haider Panjutha, quoted his client as saying that he was paying the price for unequivocally stating “absolutely not”.
In an interview with Jonathan Swan of ‘Axios on HBO’ in 2021, Imran, who was prime minister at that time, had said that Pakistan would “absolutely not” allow any bases and use of its territory for any sort of action inside Afghanistan.
“Absolutely not. There is no way we are going to allow any bases, any sort of action from Pakistani territory into Afghanistan. Absolutely not,” he had said.
“My only fault is saying absolutely not. I was told that I would be charged under the Official Secrets Act, but I stood my ground for genuine freedom,” Panjutha quoted Imran as saying after meeting him in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
Panjootha shared details of his conversation with Imran Khan, quoting the PTI leader as saying that small thieves do not face any punishment, while big thieves are given a clean chit.