PTI chief Imran Khan has demanded that an inquiry should be conducted against the former chief of the army staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa for apparently interfering in politics and ousting his government last year.

“General Bajwa has given a statement to a journalist that we toppled the government because of these reasons… so he has admitted that regime was changed. So they together toppled the government together and they are together. An inquiry should be conducted within the army against him on the statements he [Gen Bajwa] gave,” the former prime minister said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) that was aired on Friday.

Imran, who was ousted from the office of the prime minister in April, 2022, has claimed that a foreign conspiracy was behind the ouster of his government. He supported his statement by showing a paper that according to him was a “piece of evidence” in a gathering at Parade Ground in Islamabad on March 27, 2022.

“I made the decision amid the country’s situation,” Imran said while quoting the former army chief’s verbatim. He was of the view that Gen Bajwa “proudly and arrogantly” made the claim.

He was of the view that the fresh claim had increased the gap between the people and the establishment.

Imran went on to add that the statement had unfolded the “doubt or perception” that the government fell because of the ex-COAS. “It was obvious that the [former] army chief has ousted this [PTI] government.”

He reiterated that such a development led to increasing the fissures between the people and the establishment.

He alleged that N-league, Pakistan Democratic Movement, and the establishment were standing on one side, adding that the PTI defeated all of them in 29 out of the 36 by-elections. According to Imran, they would together fight polls against his party in the next elections.

Wave of terrorism

When asked about the recent wave of terrorism and blame on his government, Imran described such comments as “baseless”.

“Since the summer of 2021, I forewarned Gen Bajwa that there will be a fallout in Pakistan after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and we should get ready,” he said, “but, I think we survived as the intensity of the terrorism could have been more if there was a civil war in Afghanistan and the Afghan army would not have surrendered.”

He had warned of grave repercussions in case of a civil war. Imran claimed that he had been readying the government at that time and reminded Gen Bajwa about the country’s security.

The PTI’s cabinet was also informed about the changing situation in the neighbouring country. “We had meetings on this and we thought that we would have grave repercussions if we did not work with the local people for the resettlement of the [outlawed] TTP, who had to return to Pakistan after the Taliban takeover [in Afghanistan]. Around 30,000 to 40,000 people, along with their families, were supposed to come back.”

He went on to add that no attention was given to such concerns after his government went home, leading to an increase in the intensity of terrorism. Imran added that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa people in the province were afraid of the re-emergence of terrorism in the province.

The PTI ruled Pakistan’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for around 10 years.

Are you willing to go to jail?

Imran also answered queries related to his Jail Bharo Tehreek.

The PTI chairman in a televised address on Feb 4 announced that his party would begin a campaign filling up jails after some of its leaders and allies were arrested. The call came after the arrests of Shehbaz Gill, Senator Azam Swati, Fawad Chaudhry, and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed. He had announced a similar movement in October that was aimed at forcing the government to hold elections but it did not pan out as planned.

“We made this decision, rather than they continue to suppress and threaten us, there are two options: firstly opt for anarchy where properties are destroyed or go for a nonviolent way that is Jail Bharo Tehreek to expose them,” he said in the interview.

He claimed that their basic rights were abolished under the incumbent government’s tenure and described it as “fascism”.

“I don’t care if I am arrested. I was attacked and this is my second life so I am not afraid of going behind bars but I wonder will they be able to handle the fallout after my arrest given the economic situation of the country,” he said when asked whether he would stay in the same jail where PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was kept.

He alleged that the government was trying its best to stop him from contesting elections or declare him disqualified. “All of them are afraid that whenever elections will be held they will lose.”