ISLAMABAD: After his brief arrest and detention last week triggered deadly unrest, former prime minister Imran Khan raised concerns about the fragile state of democracy in the country, observing that it is currently “hanging by a thread”.
In an interview with Britain’s Sky News which aired early Sunday, Khan accused the government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) of being “petrified of elections” and fearing the potential for his party to win at the polls, claiming they would be “wiped out”.
The former prime minister, who has been tied up in dozens of legal cases since being ousted from power last year, further alleged the government’s only condition for allowing elections is if he is either imprisoned or killed.
The one-time cricket superstar was freed on bail on Friday after his detention was declared unlawful by the Supreme Court.
Enraged by the arrest, supporters set fire to government buildings, blocked roads and damaged property belonging to the military, which they blame for Khan’s downfall.
During the interview, Khan noted that he has survived two assassination attempts, with one taking place last November during a rally in Punjab where he was shot in the leg. He also disclosed that his home in Lahore was raided while he was detained.
However, when asked about alleged violence by the protesters, Khan condemned all violence.
“The only hope we have is the judiciary,” Khan said, emphasising his concerns about the current state of democracy in Pakistan.
Khan expressed his shock at the circumstances of his arrest, saying the first time he was shown an arrest warrant was while he was inside the jail. He further criticised the situation, questioning the role of the police and questioning whether martial law had been declared in the country.
However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif criticised Khan’s release, claiming there was a “genuine corruption case” against him, and that the judiciary had become a “stone wall protecting him”.
