Islamabad, Mar 2: Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan who is currently imprisoned, has reached out to the global community, especially the United States, urging them to reaffirm their dedication to democracy, human rights, and regional stability.
According to Dawn, in an article attributed to him in Time magazine, Khan congratulated US President Donald Trump on his “political revival”.
He also expressed hope for increased collaboration with the US to enhance economic ties, promote stability, and mitigate circumstances that give rise to conflict and extremism.
It remains uncertain whether Khan actually wrote the article and how it was submitted to the publication.
Khan elaborated on the ongoing ‘political crisis’ in Pakistan and his relentless pursuit of democratic values. He voiced significant concern regarding the perceived decline of democracy in the nation, describing the current era as one of the most difficult in its history.
He asserted that his imprisonment and the accusations against him are politically motivated efforts to silence his advocacy for democratic ideals.
Khan stated that his fight transcends personal interests and addresses the broader challenges of democracy, which hold implications not only for Pakistan but also for regional and global stability.
Recognizing Pakistan’s crucial geopolitical role, Khan highlighted that the international community must urgently respond to the prevailing crisis.
Touching on terrorism, Khan criticized the government for reallocating resources from essential counterterrorism initiatives to pursue a political agenda against his party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
He pointed out that regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which have experienced rising terrorist activity, were overlooked in favor of “military actions against political adversaries”.
Khan accused the judiciary of being weaponized for political persecution. During the DawnNews TV program ‘Doosra Rukh’ on Saturday, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, stated that the PTI’s actions were “unpredictable”.
He noted that the party was forming alliances while simultaneously advocating for civil disobedience, sending letters, and publishing “sensational” articles in Time magazine.
In discussing negotiations with the PTI, Senator Siddiqui indicated that options were difficult to present during talks as they were not evaluated in any forum; decisions were made directly by Khan.
He claimed that the PTI was unsure of their actions until they received directives from Khan.
“When Imran commanded ‘no more talks’, the PTI committee was completely blindsided,” he remarked.
When asked if the PTI sought to proceed with negotiations despite Khan’s orders, he confirmed this intention.
“I recall (PTI Chairman) Gohar Ali Khan visiting Imran, and upon his return, only three or four days remained before the deadline for meeting their demands. Yet, they declared no further discussions.” (Agencies)
