Islamabad, Aug 25: Lashing out at the coalition government in Pakistan over lodging a terrorism case against him, PTI chairman Imran Khan on Thursday said that Pakistan has become a laughing stock all over the world, local media reported.

Speaking outside the Federal Judicial Academy in Islamabad after appearing before an anti-terrorism case, Imran Khan said, "When I raised my voice against the sexual abuse of Shahbaz Gill and said that I will take legal action, a terror case was filed against me." UN Helps Cash-Strapped Pakistan, Afghanistan Deal With Heavy Flooding.

The magistrate, he claimed, despite knowing that Gill was tortured in custody again handed over him to the police, The News reported.

"The case against me has become an international story and it seemed that Pakistan is a banana republic."

His statement comes as a couple of US media outlets published stories and pictures of him commenting on the terror case filed against him.

"Whoever is making these decisions should think of the country," Imran Khan said, adding they are trying to arrest the leader of the biggest party in this case, The News reported.

"They are afraid of the power of Tehreek-e-Insaf, there have not been such big rallies in the history of Pakistan," he said. Imran Khan Gets Interim Bail From Pakistan Anti-Terrorism Court in Terrorism Case.

The PTI chairman said that they [coalition government] are trying to knock him out on technical grounds fearing the PTI's popularity.

Earlier, the PTI chairman was granted pre-arrest bail by the ATC till September 1.

On August 21, an first information report (FIR) was registered against Imran Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act for threatening an additional sessions judge and senior police officers of the Islamabad Police at a rally in the federal capital's F-9 Park on August 20, The News reported.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 25, 2022 08:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).