• Says army chief apparently considers him ‘his enemy’, unwilling to sit and talk
• Demands court martial of Gen Bajwa for speaking against Russia
• Voices concern over threats to his life
• Predicts PTI’s victory in polls despite ‘umpires siding with PDM’

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has said he is ready to talk to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir “in the best interest of the country”, but in the same breath added, “no one (in the establishment) is ready to talk to me”.

While speaking to media persons at his Zaman Park residence on Friday, ex-PM Khan said he is not nursing any grudge against the establishment and bemoaned that the army chief was apparently considering him his enemy.

Answering a question about corruption allegations against him and his wife, the PTI chairman said he would challenge the COAS to prove any corruption case against him or his wife. He also rebuffed the idea that there was any corruption in the Toshakhana episode. “If I would have not purchased the wrist-watch and other articles, after paying enhanced 50 per cent price, someone else would have got them in auction,” Mr Khan reasoned.

The former premier also claimed he was still in contact with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman.

He accused former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa of back-stabbing. Even after the PTI government was toppled through the ‘regime change conspiracy’, he stated, he spoke to Gen Bajwa for the betterment of the country. “Gen Bajwa, however, wanted to crush me,” he alleged.

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“If anyone thinks that I will bow, it will never happen,” he declared.

Mr Khan, who had earlier demanded an internal military inquiry against Gen Bajwa, demanded the former army chief be “court-martialled for delivering a speech” against Russia.

Changes in travel plan

In response to a question about alleged threats to his life he voiced after appearing before courts in Islamabad, the PTI chief said around midnight he decided to travel to the federal capital for court hearings by road after he had learnt about the alleged plans about arresting him from Islamabad airport and taking him to the Balochistan province.

“I am in danger from those, who are supposed to protect me,” he remarked.

Mr Khan said he had named five persons, including the incumbent prime minister and interior minister, in a video statement that would be made public by his party if anything happened to him. He added the tape had been kept in safe custody abroad.

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Responding to a question about his relations with former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, who recently left the PML-Q and joined the PTI as its president, Mr Khan said the establishment had tried its best to convince Mr Elahi to part ways with the PTI chairman. “Now it is my turn to show loyalty towards him,” he said, asserting that he would not betray anyone.

“The establishment lacks an understanding of politics,” Mr Khan said.

‘**Victory though umpires side with PDM’**

Referring to the claims about holding of general elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab at a time when the national exchequer was rapidly depleting, the PTI chief suggested, “If general elections are held across the country at once, money will be saved.” He sounded confident that his party would win the elections despite the “umpires siding with the PDM”.

Asked if he had decided a candidate for Punjab chief minister in view of upcoming by-polls, the PTI chief said, “There will be “bloodshed” if he finalises the name at this point of time. “Even women elected on reserved seats wanted to be the Punjab chief minister,” he commented.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2023