Imran Khan, former Prime Minister of Pakistan (Source: Wikipedia Commons) 

By  Gary  Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Pakistani police have charged Imran Khan under anti-terror law after the former prime minister told neutrals at a rally to stand with ‘nation, justice and country’, not thieves. Police took the action against the ex-pm and cricket star  following a political speech Saturday.  Authorities accused him of breaching the country’s anti-terrorism act for allegedly making threats against state officials.   Khan had also accused  state officials of detaining and torturing a close aide.  The PTI chief was addressing a party rally in Islamabad’s F-9 park (Fatima Jinnah Park) to express solidarity with embattled party leader and his close aid Shahbaz Gill and lodge a protest against the government.  Police hit Khan with the terrorism charges following a speech where Khan condemned a local police chief and a female judge for the detention and alleged torture of Gill.  In the speech,   Khan said the charges against his close aid Gill were part of “a conspiracy” to pit his party against the military.  Police have denied the torture allegations.

“I’m asking and want to say to the neutrals [that] this is a matter of the country. It’s very important for you to stand with the nation, justice and Pakistan and not these thieves (government leaders),” Imran Khan said to the crowd.

Khan Claims United States “Conspired” To Remove Him From Power 

Khan has alleged he was removed from power as part of a “foreign conspiracy”,  alleging blame on the United States, though he has not provided any proof for the accusation. In April, Khan claimed the US  conspired to topple him in a parliamentary vote of confidence because he had visited Moscow against US advice.  Both the Pakistan military and the US have denied Khan’s allegations.