LAHORE – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan apprehended on Sunday his arrest, saying that there was an 80 percent chance of his arrest on May 23.
In an interview with a foreign news channel, the deposed premier said, “Everything is being done to destroy our democracy. At this point, more than 10,000 workers have been arrested. My entire senior leadership team is in jail.”
Speaking about former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Mr Khan said, “I worked with former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa before he switched horses”.
“For the last six months of the PTI government, Bajwa worked to remove me and later claimed that I was a danger to the country,” claimed Mr Khan.
Mr Khan said he firmly believes that the country needs a strong defence system.
Taking a jibe at the incumbent government, Mr Khan claimed, “accused that efforts were being made to “impose a ban” on his party in the country.
Referring to the assassination attempt on him, Mr Khan said, “I predicted that a religious fanatic will be sued to kill me like our governor was killed. My life is still in danger. ”
He expressed his fear that the government will not hold elections in October, claiming, “The government is afraid that the PTI will come to power.”
On Friday, Mr Khan claimed that efforts were on to “crush” his party.
In an interactive session with journalists, Mr Khan said, “Today, a Punjab government delegation came to meet me, and they gave me eight names, who they said were wanted men.” Everyone in the PTI was currently wanted, he added.
“The authorities have apprised me of conducting a search operation at Zaman Park’s residence, but I have refused to do so. They can come as per permission given by the Lahore High Court (LHC),” he maintained.
The LHC ordered to form a two-member government team comprising a lady police officer,and the PTI member to aid for the search operation, he said.
Mr Khan asked for evidence regarding his party’s involvement in the May 9 violence, saying that if anyone from the PTI was involved, he will help [the police] catch them.
But this is not the case, adding that this is being done to crush PTI, he said. How could they arrest 7,500 people, he questioned. “There are videos of Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Yasmin Rashid asking people to be peaceful,” he claimed.
Claiming the arrests of PTI leaders and workers were a crackdown against the PTI, Mr Khan added, “This is not happening for the enforcement of law in the country. All this is happening to crush the party”.
He claimed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was isolated, Mr Khan said, “A political party or a leader becomes isolated when he does not have the support of the people”.
Mr Khan was of the view that the government would be charged under Article 6 for delaying the polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Speaking about the Supreme Court (SC), Mr Khan claimed, “Despite all the differences in the apex court, all judges agree on the point that elections should be held within 90 days”.
Believing that the government was “petrified” of elections, the deposed premier said, “The PDM is afraid of holding elections because it lost the by-elections despite the support of stakeholders. Now it [PDM] is running away from the elections”.
“The government is looking for ways to plan to bring me and the PTI into conflict with the army,” Mr Khan maintained
During the protests, the miscreants attacked the civil and military installations including – Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House) in Lahore Cantt and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
The military called May 9 “Black Day” and has decided to try the protesters under the Army Act, with Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir saying that the legal process in this regard has already begun.
In addition to this, ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz had also urged the government to deal with the PTI as a terrorist organisation.
In a hard-hitting press conference in Lahore on May 17, the PML-N leader lashed out at the former premier for creating a “scene” at his Zaman Park residence, saying Khan announced a “revolt against the state institutions”. She also called for banning the party.
