PTI chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday admitted he did not enjoy absolute power as the prime minister, indicating that the actual centres of power in the country lay elsewhere and “everyone knows where that is.”
In an interview with Bol News, Imran was asked to recall the events of the night of the no-confidence vote against him, who was issuing orders and who had impeded the cases against the PPP and PML-N leaders. Imran said his government had been “weak” when it came to power and had to seek coalition partners, adding that if the same situation were to arise again, he would opt for reelections and seek a majority government or none at all.
“Our hands were tied. We were blackmailed from everywhere. Power wasn’t with us. Everyone knows where the power lies in Pakistan so we had to rely on them,” he said without elaborating any further who he was referring to.
“We relied on them all the time. They did a lot of good things too but they didn’t do many things that should’ve been done. They have the power because they control institutions such as NAB (National Accountability Bureau), which wasn’t in our control.”
He said that journalists were justified in raising questions on PTI’s performance but claimed that while his government had the responsibility it did not have all the power and authority. “No management works if I have responsibility but have no complete power and authority. A system works only when responsibility and authority are in one place.”
Imran said it was imperative for the country to have a “strong army” due to the threat posed by the enemies but said there was also the need to strike a “balance” between having a strong army and a strong government.
The PTI chief said the current political situation was a problem for the country as well as the establishment. “If the establishment doesn’t make the right decisions then I can assure in writing that [before everyone else] they and the army will be destroyed because what will become of the country if it goes bankrupt,” he said.
“Pakistan is going towards a default. If that happens then which institution will be [worst] hit? The army. After it is hit, what concession will be taken from us? Denuclearisation.”
Imran said that if Pakistan were to lose its nuclear deterrent capability, it would be fragmented into three pieces. “If the right decisions aren’t made at this time, then the country is going towards suicide,” he warned.
Prodded further to share his thoughts on the night of the no-confidence vote, Imran declined to go in details and said: “History never forgives anyone. Things come out. If you ask me, I won’t go into details, but when history will be written then it’ll be counted as such a night in which Pakistan and its institutions were damaged a lot. “Those same institutions weakened Pakistan which give it its foundation and strengthened it.”
Imran said he had “clearly told the neutrals” that the PTI government’s economic performance, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, was nothing short of a “miracle”. “I told them if you do this and if this conspiracy [to remove my government] is successful then our economy will go down,” he said, adding that he had also sent former finance minister Shaukat Tarin to give a presentation.
He said the country stood on the cusp of a “defining moment”, calling it a “trial for the establishment”. “Everyone knows they’re the powerbrokers, so they’re on trial. This is a trial of the judiciary and the Supreme Court [as well].”
Meanwhile, Imran Khan said the party would announce its next march after the Supreme Court ruling on the plea seeking clarity on whether the party could hold public gatherings.
Addressing social media workers in Peshawar, he said the PTI wanted protection from the court and its case was pending. “I ask the Supreme Court if we have the fundamental right to protest,” said Khan.
Khan said he will announce a new date for the long march after the top court’s verdict. “Our planning was not right for the first march but this time the party will come prepared.”
Talking about the march, Imran said: “The media coverage of the whole march was carried out under difficult circumstances and people were shelled brutally,” adding that “shells that are thrown at the terrorists were thrown at the protesters”, says a media report. He said the country was going through a crucial time.
“I am fighting this war for the future generations. If we fail, your children will have to fight this war.”
Hours before the ousted prime minister’s speech, the PTI filed a petition with the apex court seeking permission for a second long march to Islamabad.
The party chairman had abruptly announced the end of his “Azadi March” on March 26 and had given the government a six-day ultimatum to announce a date for a general election. He had later said he called the march off due to fear of bloodshed.
The petition argued that the court should order that PTI be allowed to hold peaceful protests and gatherings in Islamabad and that no obstacles should be put in the way of PTI protests in any city.
Imran exhorted party workers to continue their struggle against “criminals”, telling them that what they were doing was “jihad, and not politics”.
“The violent, barbaric way in which shelling was done … law enforcement agencies do not do this violence on their own people. Only criminals do this.”
Pakistan’s biggest problem was injustice, he said, adding that citizens would have to get their right through Jihad.
“This is the most important time for the nation. If we defeat them (the incumbent government), Pakistan will progress. And if we do not, then your children will have to fight this war.”
The PML-N-led coalition government is “threatening people and scaring them”, he alleged. He called on his supporters to defeat the fear, saying, “I do not fear anything because I believe we are fighting this war for our [future] generations.”
He claimed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah were “criminals” and “the most cowardly people”.
Earlier in the day, Barrister Ali Zafar filed a petition with the apex court on behalf of PTI Secretary General Asad Umar.
