Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has said that democracy in Pakistan is at “an all-time low”.
In an exclusive interview with Sky News, he also said that the coalition government was “petrified of elections” and feared being “wiped out” by his party at the polls.
“So they have decided that the only way they will allow elections is if I am inside jail or killed. There have been two attempts on me,” he said, adding that his house was also raided while he ways away.
Imran also condemned “all violence” when asked about alleged violence by protesters. “Democracy is at an all-time low. The only hope we have is the judiciary.”
Expressing dismay at the brutal treatment by everyone involved, he said that the excessive force used during the arrest left a lasting impression on him. “The way they manhandled and beat everyone and arrested me was unsettling and shocking.”
Meanwhile, the European Union and its member states can apprise PTI Chairman Imran Khan about the risks of confrontation with the government in a bid to lessen the political polarisation in Pakistan, a new report has suggested.
The report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) — an independent organisation working for global peace — said Pakistan is currently facing three crises: political confrontation, a fragile economy and resurging militancy.
The ICG, in its ‘Watch List 2023’ — which identifies where the EU and its member states can intervene to enhance prospects for peace — stated Imran has reached out to EU member states “in hopes of fixing the harm done by his anti-Western conspiracy narratives”.
