I don’t need establishment: Imran

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday claimed that his party’s problems had increased after the appointment of the new army chief.

In an interview with BBC Urdu, the former premier said the party was expecting a change after the change of command at the GHQ; however, there’s “no change, in fact, hardships have increased” for the party.

While responding to a question about his “intention” to meet the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Asim Munir, the PTI chief said it was being reported that he wanted an audience with the new chief but “I don’t need the establishment, the party which has public support doesn’t need crutches”.

He said that he only wanted polls in the country and for this, he was ready to talk to anyone.

When asked what he will do if the establishment says it wants to talk to him, Imran said: “I am a political person and can talk to everyone except for those thieves (PDM government).”

He, however, maintained he never invited the army chief or Shehbaz Sharif for talks.

The PTI chief’s comments came a day after Gen Asim Munir’s reported statement — while speaking to the country’s leading businessmen earlier this week — that Khan had requested a meeting with him but was denied.

When asked about the attitude of the establishment after the change in the military command, the ex-PM said, “It didn’t matter to us, cases were filed against us during the tenure of General (retd) Bajwa. Never before that, had there been so much custodial torture against senior citizens. We thought there will be a change, but there has been none, rather problems increased for us”.

He further said they [the ruling parties] wanted him disqualified or jailed so that they could win this election. “The nation was against the ruling parties, so I won the 2018 election. And after this inflation, these parties have been buried.”

Regarding Pervaiz Elahi’s induction into the party and appointment as the president, Imran Khan said the vice-chairman [Shah Mahmood Qureshi] was the number two person in the PTI hierarchy.

Khan claimed there were more than 70 cases against him but these cases were of strange nature and would end as soon as they go to court.