Imran Khan criticises Morsi death sentence: 'Egypt should learn from Pakistan'

Imran Khan correlated Morsi's death sentence with the execution of PPP founder Zufiqar Ali Bhutto.

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has criticized an Egypt court's decision to sentence to death deposed Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, saying it "bodes ill" for the Egyptian people and democracy in Egypt.

In a tweet posted Sunday, Khan said:

The sentencing of deposed President Morsi to death bodes ill for the Egyptian people & for Egyptian democracy. 1/2 https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/599804544529276929

In a second tweet, Khan correlated the death sentence awarded to Morsi with the controversial execution of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) founder and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was hanged in 1979 for the murder of a political opponent.


2/2 The Pakistani nation & Pakistan's democracy continue to suffer the aftermath of civilian leader ZAB's hanging by a military dictator. https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/599805424867545089

A press release issued by the PTI quoted Khan as saying, "Pakistan had suffered tremendously as a result of the hanging of its democratic leader Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto by a military dictator".

"The Pakistani nation and democracy in Pakistan continue to suffer the fallout from Bhutto's hanging as the Pakistani polity stands polarized and militarized even today," the press release added.

The statement added said that Khan had called on Egypt to learn from "Pakistan's bitter experience".

Ideas that bring leaders to power through the ballot box cannot be obliterated through deposing them undemocratically and then sentencing them to death, it further quoted Khan.

An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced ousted Islamist president Morsi and more than 100 other defendants to death on Saturday over jail breaks during the 2011 uprising.

Morsi, sitting in a caged dock, raised his fists in defiance when the judge read his verdict.

Many of those sentenced were tried in absentia, including prominent Islamic cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi who resides in Qatar.