Imran Khan 'plotted with army to oust Nawaz Sharif’, colleague claims
The president of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf party claimed he had told him he was collaborating with army chiefs to oust the government
Pakistani cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan Photo: AFP/GETTY
By Dean Nelson, in New Delhi and Javed Siddiq in Islamabad
6:41PM BST 01 Sep 2014
Imran Khan, the Pakistani opposition leader, plotted with army chiefs to oust the country’s elected prime minister, his own party president claimed on Monday.
Javed Hashmi, president of Mr Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI), said his leader had told him he was co-ordinating anti-government protests with the army and that there would be fresh elections later in September, secured with the help of a friendly member of the country’s Supreme Court.
His accusation, in a press conference in the capital Islamabad - where hours earlier hundreds of Mr Khan’s supporters briefly seized the headquarters of the state broadcaster, Pakistan TV - caused a sensation and brought a strong denial from the former Pakistan cricket captain.
It followed claims that the army had suggested to Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, that he step down for a month to allow an inquiry team to investigate claims by Mr Khan that last year’s general election contest was rigged.
Both the army and the government denied that such a suggestion had been made.
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The country - which has endured three successful coups and four periods of military rule - has been in political turmoil since Mr Khan led an estimated 70,000 supporters on a march from Lahore to Islamabad two weeks ago, and although their number has since dwindled the capital remains paralysed, with schools and offices closed.
Speculation has grown in recent weeks over Mr Khan’s links with the army since the government’s information minister alleged the former head of the country’s ISI intelligence agency was advising him on strategy for his protests.
Suspicions of military support for Mr Khan were fuelled over the weekend when the army chief, General Raheel Sharif, who is not related to the prime minister, called on the government as well as protesters to avoid the use of force. The prime minister’s supporters said the army chief’s “even-handed” approach had undermined any attempt to restore normality.
Mr Hashmi’s claims, which appeared to reinforce such suspicions, came in an emotional statement outside Pakistan’s Parliament House.
He said Mr Khan had told him that “the badge bearers” [army] had urged him and his supporters to join forces with those of Tahirul Qadri - a populist cleric - to march on the capital.
“Imran Khan said we can’t move forward without the army... Imran Khan also said that all the matters had been decided and there will be elections in September,” he said.
“It won’t be called martial law... we will file a petition in the Supreme Court and get a judge of our choosing and he will say OK, they will get rid of the government,” he added.
Shireen Mazari, Imran Khan’s spokesman, dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and said if Mr Hashmi had believed them he should have resigned. “The fact is that there was no such talk in any meeting nor is there any such covert agenda,” she said.
Three people died and several hundred were injured in clashes between protesters and police over the weekend after Mr Khan’s and Mr Qadri’s supporters marched on Mr Sharif’s official residence.
Anti-government protesters chase after policemen during the Revolution March towards the prime minister's house in Islamabad
The violence continued when an estimated 400 protesters seized the state broadcaster’s English language studios. “They have stormed the PTV office. PTV staff performing their duties are being beaten up,” the announcer said before he was forced off air.
Senior government sources believe the army, or at least a section of it, is seeking to destabilise Mr Sharif’s government and wants fresh elections to oust or weaken him.
“There is a strong belief that they [the demonstrators] can’t continue doing what they’re doing without support from certain sections of the army,” said one official, voicing the government’s frustration.
“After the corps commanders’ meeting they said force should not be used - but if you’re allowing people into the PTV headquarters you’re giving them a free hand. They’re carrying six feet sticks and you’re told not to use force.”
The official said there were fears that the prime minister would authorise the use of stronger force against the protesters on Tuesday, when the government has called MPs to vote on a confidence motion.
The president of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf party claimed he had told him he was collaborating with army chiefs to oust the government
Pakistani cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan Photo: AFP/GETTY
By Dean Nelson, in New Delhi and Javed Siddiq in Islamabad
6:41PM BST 01 Sep 2014
Imran Khan, the Pakistani opposition leader, plotted with army chiefs to oust the country’s elected prime minister, his own party president claimed on Monday.
Javed Hashmi, president of Mr Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI), said his leader had told him he was co-ordinating anti-government protests with the army and that there would be fresh elections later in September, secured with the help of a friendly member of the country’s Supreme Court.
His accusation, in a press conference in the capital Islamabad - where hours earlier hundreds of Mr Khan’s supporters briefly seized the headquarters of the state broadcaster, Pakistan TV - caused a sensation and brought a strong denial from the former Pakistan cricket captain.
It followed claims that the army had suggested to Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, that he step down for a month to allow an inquiry team to investigate claims by Mr Khan that last year’s general election contest was rigged.
Both the army and the government denied that such a suggestion had been made.
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The country - which has endured three successful coups and four periods of military rule - has been in political turmoil since Mr Khan led an estimated 70,000 supporters on a march from Lahore to Islamabad two weeks ago, and although their number has since dwindled the capital remains paralysed, with schools and offices closed.
Speculation has grown in recent weeks over Mr Khan’s links with the army since the government’s information minister alleged the former head of the country’s ISI intelligence agency was advising him on strategy for his protests.
Suspicions of military support for Mr Khan were fuelled over the weekend when the army chief, General Raheel Sharif, who is not related to the prime minister, called on the government as well as protesters to avoid the use of force. The prime minister’s supporters said the army chief’s “even-handed” approach had undermined any attempt to restore normality.
Mr Hashmi’s claims, which appeared to reinforce such suspicions, came in an emotional statement outside Pakistan’s Parliament House.
He said Mr Khan had told him that “the badge bearers” [army] had urged him and his supporters to join forces with those of Tahirul Qadri - a populist cleric - to march on the capital.
“Imran Khan said we can’t move forward without the army... Imran Khan also said that all the matters had been decided and there will be elections in September,” he said.
“It won’t be called martial law... we will file a petition in the Supreme Court and get a judge of our choosing and he will say OK, they will get rid of the government,” he added.
Shireen Mazari, Imran Khan’s spokesman, dismissed the allegations as “baseless” and said if Mr Hashmi had believed them he should have resigned. “The fact is that there was no such talk in any meeting nor is there any such covert agenda,” she said.
Three people died and several hundred were injured in clashes between protesters and police over the weekend after Mr Khan’s and Mr Qadri’s supporters marched on Mr Sharif’s official residence.
Anti-government protesters chase after policemen during the Revolution March towards the prime minister's house in Islamabad
The violence continued when an estimated 400 protesters seized the state broadcaster’s English language studios. “They have stormed the PTV office. PTV staff performing their duties are being beaten up,” the announcer said before he was forced off air.
Senior government sources believe the army, or at least a section of it, is seeking to destabilise Mr Sharif’s government and wants fresh elections to oust or weaken him.
“There is a strong belief that they [the demonstrators] can’t continue doing what they’re doing without support from certain sections of the army,” said one official, voicing the government’s frustration.
“After the corps commanders’ meeting they said force should not be used - but if you’re allowing people into the PTV headquarters you’re giving them a free hand. They’re carrying six feet sticks and you’re told not to use force.”
The official said there were fears that the prime minister would authorise the use of stronger force against the protesters on Tuesday, when the government has called MPs to vote on a confidence motion.
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