Former Prime Minister and leader of Tehreek-e-Insaf Pakistan (TIP), Imran Khan told in a rally that country’s military was trying to sabotage his political career and said its meddling was pushing the country to the brink of economic disaster. He also renewed appeals for early elections, despite his fears that by wading back into politics he’s risking his life. Before attending the rally, which was attended by tens of thousands of Imran Khan’s supporters, the TIP leader told British newspaper The Telegraph, leaving his house had become a game of “Russian roulette”, with the threat of assassination still looming and a concerted effort under way.
Imran Khan currently riding a wave of public support as people are gradually becoming vocal against country’s armed forces and its infamous spy agency Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI), as now a large segment of Pakistanis feel, ISI has not only been jeopardizing country’s democracy and prosperity, it has been also pushing Pakistan towards terrorism and destruction by patronizing jihadist and terrorist groups.
Seeing massive public support of Imran Khan, Pakistan’s all-powerful military and intelligence agencies, known euphemistically as the establishment, would rather see him dead than return as leader in the autumn.
Imran Khan told The Telegraph, “The establishment is petrified of me winning elections; hence they will try and eliminate me. The government should provide security for me when I leave the house but they haven’t done this”.
“I have had to get my own security team and follow a security code but it is a Russian roulette. God knows, when I go out, I am vulnerable”.
Imran Khan was removed from power in April 2022 in a no-confidence vote. Khan’s party – Tehreek-e-Insaf Pakistan (TIP) says it was the result of illegal political horse trading. In November 2022 he narrowly survived an assassination attempt after being shot four times in the legs.
While recovering in hospital in Lahore, Imran Khan blamed Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s prime minister, for the country’s interior minister, Rana Sanaullah, and senior figures in Pakistan’s feared Inter Services Intelligence as being behind the assassination attempt.
“It is the same government officials [now] who tried to kill me before”, Imran Khan said.
On March 14 this year, Pakistani police stormed into the residence of Imran Khan in Lahore to arrest him with an outrageously false allegation of illegally selling state gifts. Although Imran Khan has dismissed such allegations as politically motivated, anyone having minimal knowledge about Imran Khan would agree – he is not that type of individual who would sell state gifts. Even such allegations cannot work on Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif despite the fact of his involvement in massive corruption – or members of Bhutto/Zardari dynasties who are infamous for indulging into rampant corruption and crimes.
Raids at the residence of Imran Khan in a combat operation style proved, this was not only a cowardly act but it has exposed Pakistani military and ruling elite’s nasty face to the world. Members of Pakistani law enforcement agencies are accused of beating Imran Khan’s staffs at his residence while they stole valuable possessions.
Unfortunate fate of Pakistan’s politics is – no prime minister in that country has ever completed their term in power while Imran Khan only served three and half years of his five-year term.
According to latest polls, if an election is held in Pakistan today, Imran Khan would easily win a landslide victory. Last week’s Gallup poll show Imran Khan enjoying 62 percent approval rating while Shehbaz Sharif in on 32 percent.
Leaders of Muslim League Nawaz (MLN) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) as well as Pakistani intelligence agency ISI are aware of the fact that Imran Khan will win a landslide victory in the next general election, which they do not want. They will do anything to stop Imran Khan from politics and from running in the next general election. In this case, Pakistani authorities may outlaw Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf Pakistan (TIP) soon.
Meanwhile, on March 22, 2023 Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah sought a parliament ruling to empower authorities to tackle former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party’s alleged involvement in violence.
The ruling was asked for in a joint session of parliament convened over the instability caused by the crisis over Imran Khan.
Sanaullah told the house nearly 68 security personnel were injured in clashes and 16 arrested Khan aides will be tried on terrorism charges.
The clashes erupted after Imran Khan’s supporters prevented police and paramilitary forces from arresting him in a case in which he is accused of unlawfully selling state gifts during his tenure as premier from 2018-2022.
The minister requested the house give “guidance” to the government about the violence stoked by Khan’s supporters, who he said included “miscreants, armed groups, and terrorists”.
