Pakistan's incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday accused the jail authorities of maltreatment, contending that he is being treated "worse than animals."
"I was tortured by being confined in a cage and treated worse than animals. This was an extremely vile act. Electricity to my cell was shut off for five days, leaving me in complete darkness. I was confined to the cell for ten days. For several weeks, any visits by family members, doctors, or lawyers were blocked," Khan alleged.
He was speaking to reporters and his lawyers in a makeshift courtroom inside Adiala Jail in the northeastern garrison city of Rawalpindi, according to a statement posted on his X account, which is reported to have been operated by his party from abroad.
The government, and the jail authorities, for their part, have rejected the allegations, claiming that the ex-premier is being provided "all facilities" as per jail manual.
"They want to break me through this torture and hardship, but I will stand firm for the genuine freedom of the Pakistani nation," said Khan, who has been in jail for over a year.
He lashed out at the ruling and opposition lawmakers, who recently voted for a judiciary-related amendment to the country's Constitution, saying they "betrayed Pakistan by destroying the very foundations of our Constitution."
Khan also expressed his concern over alleged abduction of one of his lawyers Intazar Panjutha, who have been missing for weeks.
The former cricket star had been ousted from power through a no-trust vote in April 2022, slightly over a year before completion of his five-year tenure.
