Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former prime minister Imran Khan has said that political parties and those in power in the Asian nation influenced the United States to turn against them. In a surprise interview with news media outlet Newsweek, Khan accused the US of using double standards while defending his own non-aligned policy in international affairs.
Imran Khan has been booked in another case related to fraudulently purchasing 5,000 kanals (625 acres) of land at throwaway prices in the country’s Punjab province.
The total number of cases against the 70-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief has now crossed 140, following his ouster as Pakistan’s prime minister in April last year.
Khan’s cases are mostly related to terrorism, incitement of public to violence, arson, blasphemy, attempted murder, corruption and fraud.
The Anti Corruption Establishment (ACE) of Punjab has registered a fresh case against Khan.
in his interview with newsweek‘ Imran Khan said, ‘So what happened later was unique in Pakistan, because on April 9 last year my government was removed. And on April 10, which has never happened in this country, hundreds and thousands of people took to the streets to protest.”
“When people came out, it was a shock to everyone including me. Well, I never expected people because we never planned it. It was a spontaneous reaction. And then I went to the public, Had a series of rallies, and all were huge rallies, bigger than any rallies in Pakistan. And then there were by-elections. So, my party was swept away.”
khanThe cricketer-turned-politician was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote. Leadershipwhich he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy to target him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.
“Well, the people who conspired to topple my government, the former army chief [Qamar Javad Bajwa]And later, he said quite clearly [as such], Because in his own circles, in the military circles, they kept asking, “Why did they remove me?” So, they actually justified it that I was dangerous. He claimed that I am dangerous for Pakistan. And he also gave some other reasons.
On the assassination attempt against him, Imran Khan said, “There were two, well there was another assassination attempt on me on March 18. They were part of that, come what may, I cannot come back.”
Imran Khan also talked about the lawsuits against them, “Then, this false flag campaign, which happened on May 9, they could have easily come and picked me up, the police could have come and said, “Here’s your warrant, and we’re taking you to jail.” It could have happened, but instead, when I’m sitting in the High Court [of Islamabad], I have this commando operation where they come and smash everything… They beat everyone up. I was hit on the head.”
“And then they took me away like I was the biggest terrorist in this country, not the biggest party-goer in the country. But the moment I was in the jeep, suddenly they became completely polite, very polite and courteous.”
“It was illegal, clearly what they did was illegal. They call it kidnapping. It was not an arrest,” he insisted.
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Updated: June 11, 2023, 06:14 PM IST