Khan Takes A Potshot At The Army: Form Your Own Party

Ex-Pakistan PM accuses the military of meddling in politics

- RITUPARNA CHATTERJEE

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan targeted the military in his first address since his release from custody and advised them to "form their own political party".

He was responding to a comment by Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director-general major general, calling him a hypocrite: “Listen to me Mr DG ISPR, you were not even born when I was representing my country in the world and earning [a] good name for it. You need to be ashamed of yourself for calling me [a] hypocrite and antiarmy.”

Mr Khan was addressing the nation from his Zaman Park residence at 8pm local time and the ISPR is the military’s media wing. “You have jumped into politics. Why don’t you form your own party. Who has given you the right to make such frivolous allegations. Have some shame for saying that no one else harmed the army to the extent that I did, and that you will crush us,” Mr Khan said.

“They have put the entire leadership of PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf) in jails and arrested over 3,500 workers and instituted more cases against me after the attack on the state buildings by unknown persons. The government parties do not want the elections because they know they will be completely wiped out. That is why they planned this conspiracy and ran away from elections,” Mr Khan said.

“Although you will not listen to me, I advise you to think big. You should see where the country is heading by such actions,” he said, referring to the army. He also called for protests “at the end of your streets and villages” across the country. “Freedom does not come easily. You have to snatch it. You have to sacrifice for it,” he said.