ISLAMABAD   -   Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan on Friday said that his party would participate in the government’s All Parties Conference (APC) on operation ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ only for the sake of the country.

Earlier, the PTI had been opposing the counterterrorism operation since last month when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government announced its plans to launch a re-energized national counter-terrorism campaign countrywide.

The PTI in a statement issued on X on behalf of Imran Khan said that his party would participate in the APC for the sake of the country and listen to the government’s stance. “Law and order is a national issue,” he said and added, “We have reservations about the Azm-i-Istehkam Operation, as this operation will increase instability in the country.”

He said it was not possible to win this war on the long border without the support of the Afghanistan government.

“If you launch an operation against the Taliban (TTP), they will flee into Afghanistan,” he said, adding that Pakistan couldn’t succeed in this operation without cooperation from the neighbouring country.

The jailed leader also threatened to go on a hunger strike and said that he was consulting in this connection. “If the establishment doesn’t withdraw from the affairs of Adiala Jail and my cases, I will go on a hunger strike,” he said.

He also showed his no confidence in the Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and demanded his recusal from all those benches hearing cases related to PTI and him. “Qazi Faez Isa’s bias has become evident,” he said. He said that the inclusion of CJP Isa in every bench hearing their cases was not only against their constitutional and legal rights but also against the spirit of justice. He should at least recuse from all those benches if he doesn’t resign, he also said.

PTI Chairman-for-life Khan underlined that Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja would be tried on high treason charges under Article 6 of the Constitution if “fraudulent” general election of February 8 was investigated. He demanded fresh elections under a new law and impartial Election Commission.

Khan went on to say that previously, there had been a hybrid system in Pakistan but now, dictatorship was imposed. The ex-premier alleged that the superintendent of Adiala Jail, where he had been kept, did not allow his team and the party leadership to meet him only on a colonel’s orders, the other day. “If the meeting had taken place, I would have resolved their differences,” he said, adding that they thought that such petty actions would weaken his party.

Talking about the negotiations, Khan said that talks happened when a solution to a problem was found. “If we negotiate with (Prime Minister) Shehbaz Sharif, their government, standing on fake Form 47, will collapse like a house of cards,” he claimed. He said that the powerful class wanted him to guarantee that he would not take action against them if came to power.

“Despite the extreme heat, I will not complain…I am ready to die in jail, but as long as I live, I will fight this battle,” he also said.