Imran Khan Backs IMF Office Protests, Denies Slogans

In a candid dialogue with journalists within the confines of Adiala Jail, the incarcerated former prime minister, Imran Khan, voiced his support for Pakistani expatriates’ protests outside IMF offices overseas, deeming them warranted. However, he disavowed any knowledge of slogans being directed against the military. Khan emphasized the imperative of political stability in Pakistan before seeking IMF loans, asserting that such stability hinges on restoring the people’s allegedly pilfered electoral mandate. He decried the nation’s burgeoning debt, accrued over the preceding 18 months.

Expressing disillusionment, Khan lamented the erosion of the caretaker government concept, attributing it to collusion among the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and state institutions, thereby undermining his trust in them. He advocated for transparent elections, vowing to accept the outcome regardless of the victor. Khan underscored his party’s substantial electoral support and called for an audit of the recent general elections.

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Regarding a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Khan criticized Gandapur’s photo op with Sharif, expressing apprehension that Sharif’s government might withhold funds from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Khan warned of Pakistan’s ailing economy, urging urgent reforms and questioning the sustainability of the current administration. He criticized the purported alliance between the ruling PML-N and the military, accusing the Sharif family of dependence on military support.

Addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Khan chastised the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) inaction and commended South Africa’s involvement, while affirming Pakistan’s inability to initiate conflict over the issue.

On the £190 million corruption case against him, Khan asserted innocence, alleging that the trial was a ploy to prolong his detention. Reflecting on Sheikh Rashid Ahmed’s departure from the PTI, Khan expressed a sense of loss for Ahmed’s jovial demeanor.