(MENAFN) Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused the country's army chief of orchestrating his recent arrest, along with seven senior members of his political party, due to a personal vendetta. This accusation reflects the military's unaccountable and "undemocratic" grip on power in Islamabad, according to Khan. In an interview with The Guardian on Sunday at his home in Lahore, Khan stated that "without any doubt, the military is behind my arrest" and that "Pakistan is now being run by the army chief. The crackdown on us is by the army chief."
Khan was released on Friday after Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled that his arrest on Tuesday was "invalid and unlawful." The Islamabad High Court granted him two-week bail. His detention on corruption charges sparked massive protests across the country, resulting in at least 11 deaths, dozens of injuries, and the arrests of more than 3,000 demonstrators.
Khan, who heads the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opposition party, was ousted as prime minister in a 2022 no-confidence vote, which he blamed on a US-led conspiracy with the military. He argued that the arrests of him and other party leaders reflect the excessive power wielded by Pakistan's military and its Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI).
The situation in Pakistan highlights the ongoing struggle for democracy and accountability in the country. Many citizens and international observers have raised concerns about the military's influence over the government and its role in suppressing dissent. The recent protests and arrests have further fueled these concerns and underscored the need for greater transparency and democratic reforms in Pakistan.
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