Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has claimed that the country’s military is “petrified” of the upcoming elections expected later this year. In an interview with BBC HARDtalk, Khan alleged that the nation was being led into the “dark ages” by “fascists”.
Imran Khan was elected in 2018 and ruled for nearly four years until he was removed from office through a parliamentary no-confidence vote last year. Observers believe that his falling out of favor with the powerful military was a significant factor behind his ousting. Pakistan’s military has historically maintained a firm grip on the country’s governance.
Khan insisted that his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is the only one not created by military dictators, although critics argue that he had military backing during his rise to power. He claimed that a campaign aimed at dismantling his party was in progress, despite facing open opposition from the establishment. Khan cited his party’s success in winning 30 out of 37 by-elections as evidence of its resilience.
Over the past few months, PTI has witnessed significant defections and the arrest of key members. Nevertheless, Khan maintained that his party remained intact and its popularity continued to grow. He accused the establishment of trying everything, including arrests, torture, and imprisoning protesters, to weaken his party. Khan challenged his detractors, claiming that if PTI were truly finished, the authorities would have already announced the election date.
Supporters of Imran Khan view him as an untainted political outsider, while others accuse the military of engineering his removal from power, a claim denied by the army. Since leaving office, Khan has faced a slew of legal problems, with nearly 200 charges, including sedition, terrorism, and abetting murder, pending against him.
The former cricket star-turned-politician has been subject to intense scrutiny, and his popularity was evident when he was arrested from inside a court in May, sparking nationwide protests. Khan denied involvement in the arson cases related to the protests and called for a separate investigation. He accused the military of inciting violence by sending soldiers instead of police officers to arrest him.
Imran Khan emphasized that Pakistan was on the brink of a significant disaster and stressed that the only solution was free and fair elections. However, there have been discussions about laws that some critics believe could make it difficult for Khan and his party to participate in the election or prevent them from doing so entirely.
Among the contentious bills proposed is one recommending a three-year jail term for disclosing the identity of an army intelligence officer. Khan has faced growing criticism of the military and intelligence officers, being the first politician to publicly name senior intelligence officers and accusing them of conspiring against him.
In Khan’s view, the country has fallen under the control of fascists who fear the electoral process. He believes that his suffering is a result of his party’s potential to win overwhelmingly in elections, leading to the dismantling of democracy in Pakistan.
