In a stunning development in Pakistan’s ongoing political crisis, jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan has signaled his willingness to hold talks with the country’s powerful military establishment – even as he languishes behind bars on a slew of charges he claims are politically motivated.
Khan, the former cricket superstar who was ousted from power last year, told the Guardian newspaper through his legal team that while he has had “no personal engagement with the military” since his arrest in August, he would not rule out negotiations with the army leadership he has long accused of conspiring to remove him from office.
“With regards to doing a deal with the military, any engagement would be based on principles and in the interest of the people, not personal gain or compromises that undermine Pakistan’s democratic values,” Khan said from his cell in Adiala jail, adding that he would “rather live the rest of my life in prison than compromise on my principles.”
Military Unmoved by Khan’s Overtures
But Khan’s tentative olive branch appears unlikely to bear fruit, with senior military sources telling the Guardian that the army has “no intention” of entering into any deal with the incarcerated opposition leader.
“Khan has to face the court cases against him, and can’t expect any deals from the military,” said one high-ranking source, who accused the former PM of demanding that “everyone follow the rule of law” while seeking to exempt himself from judicial oversight.
The military, long seen as the real power behind the throne in coup-prone Pakistan, is believed to tacitly back the shaky coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that replaced Khan following a controversial no-confidence vote last April.
“Ludicrous” Military Trial Threat
Khan currently faces more than 100 separate charges ranging from corruption to terrorism, which he dismisses as “ludicrous” fabrications by the army and his political foes. He has expressed alarm at the possibility of being tried by a military court – a fate normally reserved for civilians only in extraordinary circumstances.
“How can any civilian ever be tried in a military court, let alone a former prime minister? It’s ludicrous. The only reason to try a civilian in military court is simply because no other court of justice would convict me.”
– Imran Khan
The deposed leader also complained of being held in “conditions designed to intimidate, isolate, and break my resolve,” alleging he was initially kept in total isolation without access to visitors, electricity, or outdoor exercise.
Crackdown on Khan’s Party
Khan’s jailing has thrown Pakistan into renewed turmoil, with his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party alleging fraud in the October elections that saw it suffer a narrow defeat to Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Authorities have since unleashed a wide-ranging crackdown on PTI, imprisoning or exiling much of its leadership. The party has called for mass protests later this month to press for Khan’s release and fresh elections under a “neutral” administration.
Democracy in the Balance
The high-stakes showdown between Khan and a military establishment that once backed his rise to power has raised fresh concerns over the health of Pakistan’s fragile democratic institutions.
Since gaining independence in 1947, the nation of 220 million has experienced three successful coups and spent decades under military rule.
But even as he stares down the prospect of spending years behind bars, Khan told the Guardian he remains confident that his legal ordeal will end in vindication – and an eventual return to the prime minister’s office “if that is the will of the people.”
Whether Pakistan’s powerful “establishment” will allow that to happen, however, remains far from certain.
