Imran Khan warns Pakistan’s democracy is at ‘all-time low’; In his exclusive interview to a spoken man he said that;
I mean I’ve watched these guys attacking. Suddenly these guys appeared from somewhere where the sticks looked like commandos. And I thought, you know, they are here to defend me because, you know, my life is at threat.
So the judge had ordered that I have to be protected. So I thought they’d come to defend me. And I thought, God, looks like there’s some terrorists in the room. And then I discovered it was me they were after.
So it was shocking really the way they beat up everyone. And then they took me like some sort of a terrorist. I had no access to information, so I had no idea what was going on outside once they abducted me.
Journalist;
You describe it as an abduction. Who do you blame?
Imran Khan;
It was the army which abducted me. And nothing happens without the permission of the army chief. That’s how the army works. So clearly he had ordered the abduction.
Journalist;
We are hearing from the military and the government that the security concerns around you and the threat and risk has been so high that this was the only option that you forced their hand.
Imran Khan;
This is such nonsense. First they attacked my house for 24 hours. They wanted me to appear in a court in Islamabad, in a magistrate court. I had already agreed to attend. The law says that had I given them an assurity bond that I would attend the court, they couldn’t have arrested me.
They refused to take the surety bond and attacked my house for 24 hours. US, we couldn’t sit inside. There was so much tear gas, shelling and people had broken bones and stuff. So they are on a plan.
Journalist;
What is the plan?
Imran Khan;
The plan is they are petrified of elections. The gap between us and all the other parties is so huge now. That they are petrified, that they will be wiped out. So they have decided that the only way they’ll allow elections is if I am inside jail or killed.
There are two attempts on me, and most of my senior, senior leadership should be jailed too. This is what they’ve done. They’ve used this to put the entire leadership of PTI in jail.
Journalist;
What will you do if you re arrested? Because there is a very real threat with more than 100 charges against you. That you could be.
Imran Khan;
Well, on the last count, it was 148. So I’m reaching my century and a half.
And they’re all bizarre charges, like sedition, serious charges that I’ve corrupt, treachery against the court.
Journalist;
What is your strategy if you are rearrested?
Imran Khan;
Well, low strategy. I’m mentally prepared to go into jail, as I said before leaving for Islamabad, but I said I’m prepared. But the point is that their intention is not because I’ve broken some law. The intention is that they want me out of the electoral race. This is the election year.
Journalist;
How do you lead with so much of your party in chair? Well, I mean, the remnants I gathered today and I’ve had a meeting with them and we are trying to chalk out a strategy.
Imran khan;
I’m going to go out in public and start my mass contact from Wednesday onwards. Well, we will carry on, and hope that the Supreme Court will announce an election date in three weeks time.
Journalist;
Can you reassure voters that you’re even going to be around for it, let alone your leadership, the rest of your party?
Imran khan;
Look what might happen. God alone knows what might happen. I mean, I’m lucky to be alive. No one thought I would survive yesterday because they had already got a police contingent from another province.
That the moment I had got bail from these cases. The police were ready to take me to jail on another case. But the judges stood up and this is what has shocked the military establishment because the judges finally decided. They said look, we are not going to again get him into jail and everyone knows trumped up charges and the result would be public unrest. So the judges took a stand. I mean we are witnessing history in Pakistan now with new history being written.
Journalist;
Your arrests spark widespread and violent protests. We saw military installations set alight, houses attacked, government buildings. Do you condemn that violence? Violence that the government say your own support has carried out?
Imran Khan;
I condemn, I have always condemned all violence.
Journalist;
The military has been the bedrock of this country for decades. Do you think you can run the nation without the support of the army because you run that risk of alienating them?
Imran Khan;
Things changed, countries evolved, thinking changes, We started off as a security state and state away marshal laws with the army rule for 10 years. But I have never seen such a spirit. It’s totally gone on media, i can’t apear on television, if journalists have been picked up , beaten up, tortured up custodian torture of my senior members. It’s never happened like this before.
In the end, Imran Khan ended it with the words that the only hope we have is the judiciary. They have to empower rule of law.
