Follow Us on Google News
Pakistan’s former prime minister and PTI Chief Imran Khan has alleged that the government is trying to kill him, adding that he has been “isolated” at his home, cut off from the senior leadership of his party, while thousands of his supporters have been arrested.
“Anyone who supports PTI is either arrested or has gone underground,” he told FRANCE 24 during an interview from his home in Lahore.
“The government that is supposed to protect you is trying to kill you! So obviously, I don’t feel safe,” he added.
Dozens of Khan’s supporters who are suspected of attacking army installations during protests that followed his arrest have been handed over to the Pakistani military for trials.
“This new tactic (…) of military courts basically means the end of our democracy,” Khan said.
He denounced an “unprecedented crackdown” by a government “desperate to dismantle” his party, comparing it to Adolf Hitler using the 1933 fire of the Reichstag in Berlin to go after his enemies.
Khan said he had offered to form a committee to dialogue with the authorities and that he was ready to step aside if this could help. But he offered little hope that this would succeed. After demanding early elections for months, he indicated that he was now willing to accept that federal elections be held as scheduled in October. However, he added that he doubted the ruling majority would hold them, out of concern that his party would triumph.
Khan said he still fears for his life after two assassination attempts. “I am not at all safe,” he added.