Not afraid of jail, will hold elections by force: Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan

While demanding a free and fair election, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he is not afraid of going to jail and will hold the elections by force if the government fails to hold free and fair elections, media reports said.

During an address to his party's Insaf Student Federation and Youth Saturday reiterated his demand for free and fair elections while taking potshots at the ruling dispensation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reported Pakistan's local media outlet The News International.

At the Jinnah Stadium, Imran Khan said, "If they do not hold free and fair elections, then the people are ready to take to the streets to hold peaceful protests or we will hold elections by force," he said. "We can see they are running away from the elections because they know they will fare much worse than in the past."

"The thing I am preparing this nation for... I would need the youth of this nation a lot for Haqeeqi Azadi (actual freedom)," he said. "I am ready to sacrifice my life for real independence in the country. Jail is a small thing if the country gets real independence."

He said that the Pakistani government is trying to suppress him from contesting elections by using the "minus-one formula." PTI Chairman said that the imported government cannot compete with him in the elections, so they wanted to disqualify him technically.

"Dozens of cases, even terrorism and blasphemy cases, have been registered against me." He further said that disqualifying him was not the solution, but free and transparent elections were the only solution to problems.

Another major theme of the address was thrashing the government for letting the country plunge into an economic mess as the PTI leader said that if no step is to be taken the people will hold the establishment responsible for it.

"I wouldn't comment on it [contempt of court case in IHC] because it's sub judice but what was I supposed to say? He was my chief of staff. Was I not supposed to react?"