Last Updated:
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks with Reuters during an interview, in Lahore, Pakistan March 17, 2023. (Reuters)
Imran Khan accuses Pakistan army chief Asim Munir of political interference and assassination attempts, amid escalating tensions and a crackdown on dissent
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has come down heavily against the Islamic country’s all-powerful Army chief Asim Munir, accusing the military head of being “power hungry.”
The 71-year-old founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), currently lodged in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, said that General Munir violated an agreement to remain neutral in Pakistani politics in exchange for Khan accepting his appointment as army chief.
According to sources close to the former prime minister, Munir conspired with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Nawaz Sharif to cooperate against him in exchange for dropping corruption charges.
Imran alleges that Munir ordered agents of Pakistan’s notorious intelligence service to kill him and that the general covered up assassination attempts by squashing a police probe and burying CCTV footage.
The allegations from Khan about Munir come as the general has continued amassing political power and leading a brutal crackdown on rival political parties, activists, and the press in Pakistan. Khan alleges the existence of CCTV footage and other evidence showing that Munir concocted a scheme to have Khan killed in a court appearance on March 18, 2023.
According to sources, Khan accused Munir of being behind a cover-up of the incident. The general, he claims, blocked an independent probe into the attack and that eyewitness accounts pointed to the involvement of multiple assailants.
On Wednesday, Khan said the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) which was supposed to protect the country from terrorism, is now focussing on ways to crush his party.
Khan, who has been in jail since August last year, wrote on X about a plan by the Pakistan government to launch a military operation — ‘Vision Azm-i-Istehkam’ to crush terrorism. Khan said, “The ISI, which was supposed to protect the country from terrorism, was diverted from counter-terrorism to crushing the PTI.