LAHORE: Making it clear that neither he had compromised on his principles in the past, nor would do so in the future, former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Sunday that he was being implicated in ‘ridiculous’ cases.

Addressing the party workers at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore while police vans were parked outside his home to take him into custody, the PTI chairman said how ironic it was that while he was being implicated in false cases, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders of the coalition government were given a ‘clean chit in corruption references.

He said while others, who had looted the Toshakhana, had been allowed to go scot-free, he was being summoned in the same case despite the fact that he had done nothing wrong. “I want public hearing of the Toshakhana reference,” he demanded.

Similarly, he went on to say, he was not present at the time of protest outside the ECP building, but he was still implicated in the case.

Khan’s appearance came amid a swarm of PTI workers gathered at Zaman Park after the Islamabad police arrived at Imran Khan’s Lahore residence to make his arrest for the Toshakhana case.

Imran made it clear that if somebody was under the impression that he would give up on his struggle, he was grossly mistaken.

The PTI chief regretted that Nawaz Sharif, a proclaimed offender, had been dictating his terms from London. “How tragic it is that former army chief General (r) Qamar Javed Bajwa thrust these thieves upon us,” he wondered.

He said he knew fully well what the government planned to do to him after arresting him. He further said that last time when he went to Islamabad to appear in court, there was no security. “Even the interior ministry has admitted there are threats to my life,” former prime minister said.

Imran Khan has also demanded on the public hearing of the case against him.

Imran saluted the PTI leaders and workers for standing by him and also participating in ‘Jail Bharo’ movement enthusiastically.

“I am so ecstatic that I am witnessing a crowd transforming into a nation,” the PTI chief said while referring to a large number of party leaders and workers resisting police plan to arrest him.

Taking a dig at the political opponents, Mr Khan said, “The people of the country are getting poorer, while the rulers are getting rich.” He also schooled Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.

Lashing out at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president Maryam Nawaz, Mr Khan said the latter was exposed in the Panama Papers.

Reiterating the case of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill, Mr Khan bashed the political opponents.

Bashing the political opponents over the ECL, Mr Khan said, “I will not be afraid if my name is placed on the ECL.”

He claimed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was “about to be convicted by National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency for Rs16 billion of corruption, but Gen (r) Bajwa rescued him.

“PM Shehbaz was rescued by former chief of army staff General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa who kept getting [the] NAB cases trial postponed.

Earlier in a tweet, PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan has said Pakistan had “become a banana republic”.

“What future can a country have when crooks are thrust as rulers upon it? SS [Shehbaz Sharif] was about to be convicted by NAB (National Accountability Bureau) for Rs8 bn money laundering and by FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) for another Rs16 bn corruption when he was rescued by Gen Bajwa who kept getting NAB cases trial postponed,” he said in a tweet in connection with the issuance of arrest warrants and presence of Islamabad police at Zaman Park.

The PTI chief went on to say that while Shehbaz was under trial, he was made the prime minister.