• Imran says “hard state” to guarantee the rule of law.
• The party’s founder emphasizes the importance of ensuring equal justice.
• PTI legislators Scenes protest in the House of Parliament.

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) President Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said Wednesday that the prisoner party founder Imran Khan supported calls to make Pakistan a “hard state” and emphasized the importance of securing equal justice to all citizens.

Talking to Pakinomist NewsGohar quoted Imran as saying that a “hard state” would guarantee the rule of law and uniform implementation of justice.

“Imran said that Pakistan should not remain a soft state where the law is not consistently maintained,” he added.

The 71-year-old cricketer-facing politician, who has been behind pillars since August 2023, after he was booked in several cases from corruption to terrorism, apparently supported the declaration from the Chief of Army Staff (Coas) General Asim Munir.

Last month, the army chief accused the “soft state” image of the loss of innocent life in the midst of rising terrorist activities in which they asked how long they [armed forces] will fill “gaps in governance” with the blood of martyrs.

“We need better governance … We had to make Pakistan a tough state,” he said, talking about a high -level meeting in the parliamentary committee for national security, which was skipped by large opposition parties, including the former reigning party.

The in-camera session came on the basis of rising terrorism in Pakistan, including a major terrorist attack on a passenger train in the MUSHQAF field in the Bolan district of Balochistan.

Dozens of militants affiliated with the Balochistan Liberation Army (Bla) blasted a railroad track and assaulted Jaffar Express on Tuesday with more than 440 passengers – which were taken hostage.

The security forces neutralized after a complex approval operation 33 attackers and saved the hostages.

Coas Munir claimed that no agenda, movement or individual is greater than national security. “If this country exists, we do too; therefore, nothing more important to us than its security,” he added.

“All elements of national power must operate unisont to achieve lasting stability,” he emphasized, declaring that it is a struggle for the nation’s survival and the future of future generations.

Protest in the House of Parliament

Meanwhile, PTI members have staged a protest in the House of Parliament.

The protest, led by the opposition leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, saw PTI legislators sing slogans calling for Khan’s freedom.

In a speech with journalists, Ayub condemned the ongoing treatment of PTI leaders and workers and said, “Where the Constitution and Law are ignored, there is no place for investment.”

Ayub also criticized government lawmakers who suggested that if the party’s founder sought forgiveness could be resolved.

“Yesterday we were subjected to violence,” he added, referring to the detention of IMRAN’s sisters and other party leaders.

He also felt prominent figures from PTI, including Bushra Bibi, Yasmin Rashid, Mahmood Rashid, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Salar Kakaar, as “political prisoners”.

“We are all willing to sacrifice everything, even our lives, but we will remain loyal to Imran,” he added.