Former prime minister Imran Khan warned of “filing jails” if the government tried to prevent his party’s Lahore rally scheduled for September 21.

“The upcoming Lahore rally is critical. It is a ‘do or die’ situation for us,” he told reporters in an informal conversation at the Adiala Jail on Thursday. “Do whatever you want to do, PTI and the whole nation will come out.”

He urged the people not to fear going to jail, asserting that if they are prevented from holding the rally, they should fill the jails.

Khan criticised the government, claiming that the constitutional amendment aims to protect the incumbent chief justice of Pakistan. He warned that if the Supreme Court was dismantled, Pakistan would become a “banana republic.”

The former prime minister stressed the need for thorough discussion regarding constitutional matters, stating that the Supreme Court was the “last institution” in which the public has faith.

“I knew this amendment was coming. Whatever needs to happen should be done after full consultation, not in the dead of night, as it reveals their true intentions,” Khan said and criticised the “decision-makers as fools and ignorant.”

In response to a journalist’s question about his previous endorsement of the Charter of Democracy, which included the establishment of constitutional courts, Khan did not directly address the stance he now holds.

When asked, the PTI founder said that every situation has its context.

He expressed his readiness to remain in jail for a longer period if necessary, encouraging the people not to fear imprisonment. “If we are stopped from holding this rally, we will fill the jails.”

Khan criticised those who profess to honour votes while actually undermining democracy, stating, “Democracy cannot function through force or by enslaving people.”

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When questioned about JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Khan noted that he understood the intent behind the question, accusing the journalist of trying to trap him into making sensational headlines.

In response to a query about the Afghan officials’ failure to stand for the national anthem, Khan dismissed the issue, stating, “There are much bigger issues at stake in this country. The future of the nation is at risk, and you are focusing on this?”