Rawalpindi: Incarcerated PTI Chief Imran Khan said he had verbally dictated his guest essay published in British publication The Economist, which went viral on social media.

Imran was convicted in Toshakhana case on August 5 and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. On August 28, Islamabad High Court had suspended his sentence. However, he has remained in jail since in other cases registered against him.

Guest essay attributed to Imran in The Economist on January 4 indicated that he had serious doubts about whether upcoming elections would be held or not.

Piece reiterated his allegations about how regime change brought about after US government pressure led to vote of no-confidence against him last year and described May 9 riots as “False-flag operation” which was “Pre-planned”.

But an editor’s note at end of essay noted that Pakistan government and US State Department denied  allegations of American interference, saying that government was prosecuting him under Official Secrets Act. While sources within party were hesitant to comment on how writing may have been relayed to publication from inside prison, they had insisted that words were indeed those of Imran.

Some observers had expressed doubts over whether article was indeed by Imran but many noted that tone and content of article was consistent with his views. “I own column published in an international journal. I had given verbal guidelines regarding column. Article was written and published as result of these guidelines. I had verbally dictated article,” Imran told reporters.

PTI chief did, however, say that it was “Age of artificial intelligence”, adding that next week, speech of his would also arrive on social media.

Imran, in his exchange with reporters, also said that general elections should be held at any cost, adding that they were very necessary for economic and political stability. “It has been made difficult for us to contest elections. Despite that, polls should happen timely,” he said.

In his article for The Economist, while expressing fears that election scheduled for February 8 may not take place at all, Imran had stated that even if they do, such polls would be “disaster and farce since PTI is being denied its basic right to campaign”.

“Whether elections happen or not, manner in which I and my party have been targeted... has made one thing clear, establishment-army, security agencies and civil bureaucracy is not prepared to provide any playing field at all, let alone level one, for PTI,” he said. Imran also criticised Pakistan Democratic Government’s performance, saying it “destroyed economy, bringing about unprecedented inflation and currency devaluation within 18 months”.

“Unfortunately, establishment had decided I could not be allowed to return to power, so all means of removing me from political landscape were used,” he said, recalling “two assassination attempts” and abduction, incarceration or torture of party leaders, workers and social media activists. “Some were compelled to join other, newly created political parties. Others were made to give false testimony against me under duress,” he said, yet claiming that despite all this, his party remained popular.

Imran hit out at courts, who in his words “seem to be losing credibility daily”, referring to easy exoneration of PML-N’s Nawaz Sharif.

He alleged that it is his belief that Nawaz “has struck deal with establishment whereby it will support his acquittal and throw its weight behind him in upcoming elections”.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 09 2024

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