I’m ready to talk to establishment: Imran Khan

LAHORE, March 09 (SABAH): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that he is ready to talk to the establishment.

Imran Khan said that all he wants is to hold elections in the country and for that, he is “ready to talk to anyone” and does not need crutches. “I was asked if I would talk to the establishment should they want to talk. I said that I am a politician and will talk to everyone except thieves,” he added.

Further, the former prime minister clarified that he has not invited Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir or Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to talk.

He said, “There have been rumours that I want to talk to the army chief but I don’t need the establishment. A party with which the people of the country are with does not need crutches.” When asked if the change in military leadership made any difference to him in the attitude of the establishment towards his party, he said, “It didn’t make any difference to us.”

“Cases were made against us during the tenure of General Bajwa. Never before has there been so much custodial violence against seniors. We thought this would change when the new chief comes, but difficulties have only increased,” Imran said.

He furthered that the Supreme Court has ordered elections to be held in 90 days and the president has announced the same. However, when the PTI held an election rally, there was a police crackdown, vehicles were broken, a water cannon was used and people were arrested.

The former premier said that the job of the caretaker government is to conduct elections. “How can elections be held without election campaigns and rallies?” he questioned.

Regarding Pervaiz Elahi’s appointment as PTI president, Imran said that he is the vice-chairman and number two leader of the party. “Pervaiz Elahi bore the pressure of the establishment and stayed with us in difficult times, so the position was given to him,” he added.