LAHORE (Reuters)-Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has openly accused the country’s powerful military and intelligence agency of actively working to dismantle his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). In a candid interview at his Lahore residence, Khan left no room for doubt as he pointed the finger at the military establishment for the crackdown on his party. The military, which has wielded significant influence over Pakistan’s political landscape for the past 75 years, did not respond to requests for comment on Khan’s allegations.
The deteriorating relationship between Khan, widely regarded as Pakistan’s most popular leader, and the military came to a head when military buildings and properties were reportedly ransacked by his supporters. This year-long standoff has exacerbated the prevailing uncertainty in Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation of 220 million people grappling with financial turmoil and a struggling economy.
Khan referred to the subsequent violent protests that erupted after his brief arrest as a “false flag operation” specifically aimed at targeting him. In response, authorities have initiated legal proceedings against numerous individuals, including PTI members, in military courts typically reserved for military personnel or individuals deemed enemies of the state.
Khan firmly believes that the military’s primary objective is to imprison him and prevent his return to power in the forthcoming elections scheduled for November. He dismissed the approximately 150 criminal cases filed against him as baseless, asserting that they would not withstand scrutiny in a civilian court. Khan expressed a lack of doubt that the military courts have been established with him as the intended target. Amnesty International has previously criticized Pakistan’s military courts for their disregard of due process, lack of transparency, coerced confessions, and unfair trials.
Furthermore, Khan accused the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s most powerful spy agency, of playing a significant role in the crackdown. He revealed that two senior PTI members were summoned by the agency and coerced into renouncing their affiliation with the party. Despite his attempts to engage in dialogue with the military to resolve the crisis, Khan received no response. He expressed bewilderment as to why General Asim Munir, the current army chief, seemed fixated on sidelining him. Khan speculated that his past request for Munir’s resignation as the head of ISI while Khan served as prime minister may have contributed to the present tensions.
Khan, who was ousted from office last year in a parliamentary vote that he claims was orchestrated by Pakistan’s top generals, expressed his surprise at being treated as an enemy of the state. He questioned why, after being a prominent figure in Pakistan for five decades and having received numerous awards, he was suddenly viewed as an alien. The political landscape remains tense as Khan’s accusations against the military continue to reverberate through the country.
