Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has said that his party is facing an even more brutal crackdown since General Asim Munir took over as army chief, compared to General Qamar Bajwa’s tenure.
He said that when police conducted a violent crackdown against PTI workers on May 25 last year, every policeman would tell the party that they were acting on orders ‘from above’. He also said he had hoped things would improve when General Bajwa retired.
“However, there has been no difference. Actually things have gotten even worse,” the PTI chief said.
Imran made the remarks in a recent interview with Urdu News and addressed his political strategy, options for finding a way out of the current deadlock and relations with the military establishment.
He added that he was ‘perfectly aware’ of who was behind the disappearances of PTI’s social media activists. He said that both police and FIA deny having them in custody so it is clear which agencies were picking them up.
He added that cracking down on social media workers was an attempt to stifle his voce, as TV channels were already enforcing a blackout on his speeches.
Imran Khan has said that he will engage in talks with the army, but only the topic of conducting elections.
He added that elections would be the theme of any negotiations with the current government, but he would not personally talk to PMLN or PPP and only send his party members.
The PTI chief said that he has never spoken to anyone from the army’s current leadership, but is ready to talk if elections are discussed. But he said negotiations between anyone will be pointless if they do not lead to elections.
“The biggest issue right now is holding elections within 90 days, and those 90 days are passing by. This is a violation of the constitution. If you cannot follow the constitution then what point do any negotiations have?”
While the government parties discuss ways to deal with the PTI, Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday that they are considering sending a reference to get PMLN’s registration cancelled.
Fawad said that PMLN is violating the election act by letting an ‘absconder’ make it decisions.
“The party has also announced that it will not accept the Supreme Court’s orders, this is itself punishable by Article 6,” he said.
