Chairman PTI Imran Khan's Exclusive Interview on France 24 English with Marc Perelman

Chairman PTI Imran Khan's Exclusive Interview on France 24 English with Marc Perelman

Introduction

The former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, is interviewed from his residence in Lahore. He discusses his current situation and the crackdown on his party.

Isolation and Crackdown

Imran Khan talks about how he is currently isolated due to the arrest of his top leadership and over 10,000 of his workers. He explains that anyone who supports PTI is either arrested or has gone underground. The government is trying to dismantle his party by arresting political workers and supporters, including women. They are also using military courts as a tactic to convict people on false charges.

  • Imran Khan explains that he is isolated because all his top leadership is arrested.
  • The Interior Minister announced that 33 of Imran Khan's supporters have been handed over to the Army to face military trials on charges of attacking military installations in the aftermath of his arrest.
  • Imran Khan explains that the government and establishment are petrified that PTI will sweep the elections so they are trying to get him out of the way either in prison or by dismantling his party.
  • Military courts are being used as a tactic because normal courts find it difficult to convict anyone on these false charges.

Party Disintegration

Several prominent members of PTI have left their positions or quit, including two former Ministers. The Defense Minister said that the government is considering a ban on PTI for attacking the state.

  • Imran Khan explains what happened when he was sitting in the presence of the high court in Islamabad and how it was used as a pretext to really demolish his party.
  • Imran Khan explains that the military courts are unheard of in a democracy.
  • Imran Khan explains that the government is trying to dismantle his party and that's what they're doing right now.
  • Imran Khan accuses the Prime Minister and the head of the army to be behind essentially as a political Vendetta even some assassination attempts. He also says he would be ready to form a committee to negotiate with the authorities trying to find a way out.

The Current Political Situation in Pakistan

Imran Khan discusses the current political situation in Pakistan, including the refusal to hold elections and the victimization of his party.

Refusal to Hold Elections

  • Out of 37 by-elections, Imran Khan's party swept 30 of them.
  • The government refused to hold elections in Punjab, where Imran Khan's party was in power.
  • Despite the government's attempts to crush his party through fascist tactics and victimization, sympathy for his party is increasing.

Dismantling of Democratic System

  • Imran Khan describes the unparalleled victimization that is going on right now.
  • His people are facing custodial torture and living in inhuman conditions.
  • The government is not listening to the constitution of Pakistan and is dismantling the democratic system.

Call for Talks

  • Imran Khan calls for talks with authorities instead of victimization.
  • He questions how Pakistan benefits from not holding elections and highlights the sinking economy due to lack of political stability.
  • All senior leadership from his party are currently jailed and can only be released if they renounce their affiliation with PTI.

Imran Khan's Safety Concerns

In this section, Imran Khan expresses his concerns about his safety and the attempts made on his life.

Safety Concerns

  • Imran Khan shares that he has been targeted before and fears for his safety.
  • He believes that even if he is in jail, his party will win the elections, which makes him a target.
  • The interview concludes with Imran thanking the interviewer for having him on the show.