Will not leave Pakistan under any circumstances: Imran Khan
Lahore (PTI): Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday said he will neither leave the country nor back down even an inch from his quest for real freedom for the upholding of the rule of law and the Constitution.
Khan's family on Thursday posted his message to the people of Pakistan on his X account.
"To those suggesting that I leave the country, know that I will live and die with Pakistan, and I will not leave my land to go anywhere. Regardless of what prison they keep me in, whatever conditions they impose upon me, I will not back down even an inch from the quest of Haqeeqi Azadi (real freedom), for the upholding of the rule of law and the Constitution of Pakistan, at the core of which is free and fair elections (sic)," his X post said.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, who has been at Adiala jail in Rawalpindi in the cipher case, further said: "Let it be known that there's a difference of day and night between Imran Khan of today and Imran Khan who was imprisoned on August 5, 2023. Today I am stronger and fitter; spiritually, mentally and physically, than ever before."
Khan, 71, was arrested in August after a case was filed against him for allegedly violating the Official Secrets Act by disclosing a secret diplomatic cable (cipher) sent by the country's embassy in Washington in March last year. The court had last week declared that Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi would be indicted during the next hearing on October 17, which would mark the official start of the trial.
Ousted through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022, Khan was incarcerated on August 5 this year, after an Islamabad court sentenced him to three years in prison in the Toshakhana case.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief was lodged in the Attock District Jail to serve his prison term. Later, his sentence was suspended by the Islamabad High Court, but then, he was arrested in the cipher case and remained in the Attock jail on judicial remand.
Narrating his story in prison, Khan said: "When I was illegally incarcerated in Attock Jail, the first few days were particularly challenging. I wasn't provided a bed and had to sleep on the floor and had insects and mosquitoes all over me. But with time I have adjusted well to the prison conditions."
In prison, he wrote that he had the opportunity to study and research the Holy Quran in-depth, along with other books which have strengthened his faith. "I was also able to introspect the last few years of my political life," Khan wrote. As far as the Cipher case is concerned, Khan said the "bogus case" is designed to protect former Army Chief General Bajwa and US diplomat Donald Lu.
"I was the elected Prime Minister of the country. Treason was committed against me and my government by General Bajwa. Instead of investigating the foreign conspiracy in orchestrating a regime change, a case has been filed against me for informing the people of Pakistan, the real protectors of this country, about this treason."
On the arrest of his party workers in the wake of attacks on military installations, Khan said: "If there's one thing that bothers & pains me, is the suffering of my workers who have been illegally imprisoned, especially our women workers who have been in captivity for months, by a few people who abuse their power to satisfy their egos. I appeal to the judiciary to provide justice and order the immediate release of our workers." he wrote.
The PTI chief urged his followers not to give up their struggle and keep demanding a "fair and transparent election in the country."
Khan also said he is "predicting" that on whatever day the election is held, the people of Pakistan will come out in huge numbers "to vote for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf" and defeat all these parties combined. "No matter how much these people cheat, their only destiny is defeat," the PTI leader said.
Khan, who served as the country's prime minister until April last year, currently faces around 180 cases. These cases primarily stem from incidents that occurred following the attack on the Lahore Corps Commander's House on May 9. Supporters of Khan launched a series of attacks on key military installations and government properties following the arrest of their leader in an alleged corruption case.
General elections are expected to be held in the last week of January 2024.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
