Army has directly or indirectly remained in power during last 70 years: Imran Khan

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Monday that the army has directly or indirectly remained in power in Pakistan during the last 70 years, Aaj News reported.

In an interview with BBC Urdu, Imran said that to think the army would have nothing to do with running the country would be “akin to living in a fool’s paradise”.

He also said there was a possibility of him being sent to jail.

The PTI chief also revealed his plans following the departure of PTI leaders in the wake of the May 9 events, saying he would appoint fresh faces to vacant positions to pave the way for the young generation.

Imran emphasised that they are evaluating the situation and adopting a cautious “wait and see” approach.

To a question about his strategy for leading the party amidst the current circumstances Imran stated, “First and foremost, I will prioritize appointing individuals to the vacant positions, allowing the younger generation to come to the forefront. However, I am concerned that these new appointees may also face scrutiny, and there is even a possibility of imprisonment.”

Addressing the issue of negotiations and the PTI’s offer, Imran highlighted, “The strength of my position diminishes when I experience a decline in my vote bank. Any political party faces weakness when its support base starts to wane.”

“You might think that this is a big crisis for me, but I don’t think so, in fact, we are facing martial law. I wonder what they want to get out of all this. With our economic indicators pointing to the worst, I am curious how the establishment’s exclusion of us from the race will benefit the country.”

Imran expressed his desire to engage in a dialogue to understand the thoughts and perspectives of the other side. “I have made it clear that if they can convince me that the proposed actions are in the best interest of Pakistan, I would agree to them.”

He further stated that activities such as political opposition, public gatherings, raising awareness among the populace, and mobilizing them for upcoming elections can sometimes hinder the democratic process. Paradoxically, democracy ceases to exist without opposition.

He emphasised that the current year is an election year regardless of the circumstances. Therefore, the party will proceed with its election campaign.

The PTI chief expressed concern that the entire senior leadership of the party has been imprisoned, which he believed would not have occurred if the rule of law had been upheld.