srAs his followers dub him an anti-establishment hero, former Prime Minister Imran Khan has come up with a remark which is near to his heart: he wishes to talk to Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir “for the good of the country”. Mr. Khan’s close advisors should remind him that the establishment has declared it impartial and should be left alone. Mr. Khan, instead of dragging the institution into politics and other civil affairs, should rely on public support. President Arif Alvi has set April 30 as the date for elections in Punjab, a demand made by the PTI; now is the time for Mr. Khan to focus on campaigning rather than wooing the establishment.
After his removal from the Prime Minister’s Office in April of this year, Imran Khan has been criticizing the establishment and garnering a massive popular response. He has never been hesitant about denouncing the role of agencies and a former army commander in forming his administration. In his new statement, he admitted to conversing with General Qamar Javed Bajwa after his removal from public office. “But it was General Bajwa who wanted to smash me,” he claimed, adding that he is eager to speak to the establishment even today “for the sake of the nation but what can I do if no one is willing to talk?” he questioned. Better counsel would be for him to think again before speaking.
