Jailed Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan: 'It Would Be Stupid' Not to Have Good Relations With Military | US & World

By Asif Shahzad

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan, who blames the military for his ouster and 12-month jailing on what he calls trumped-up charges, said on Sunday it would be “stupid” not to have “excellent” relations with the military.

Ahead of the anniversary on Monday of his imprisonment on dozens of charges ranging from corruption to leaking state secrets, Khan also said in written answers to questions from Reuters that he held no grudge against the United States, which he also blamed for his ouster from power in 2022.

“Given Pakistan’s geographical location and the military’s significant role in the private sector, it would be foolish not to foster such a relationship,” Khan wrote in responses carried by his media and legal team.

“We are proud of our soldiers and our armed forces,” he said.

Khan said his criticism since his ouster has been aimed at individuals, not the military as an institution. “Miscalculations by military leaders should not be held against the institution as a whole.”

On Wednesday, Khan offered to hold “conditional negotiations” with the South Asian nation's military if “clean and transparent” elections were held and “false” charges against his supporters were dropped.

The Pakistani military and government did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on Khan's remarks. Both have repeatedly denied his claims.

The United States denies any involvement in his ouster.

In his responses, the 71-year-old former cricket star did not specify what he wanted to discuss with the military.

“OPEN TO ANY DIALOGUE” WITH THE ARMY

The military, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 76-year independent history, plays a dominant role in the politics and governance of the nation of 240 million people.

No Pakistani prime minister has completed his five-year term and most have served prison terms. Analysts say most of them were released after reaching deals with the military, a claim the military denies.

Khan, who lost power in a no-confidence vote in parliament after falling out with generals, has said the military supports what he calls the politically motivated prosecution of him, which the army has denied.

He added, however, that there would be “no harm” in engaging with the generals if he were released from prison and sought to return to power.

“We are open to any dialogue that could help improve the dire situation in Pakistan,” he said, adding that there was no point in opening such talks with the coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which he said did not enjoy public support because it claimed to have won a stolen election in February.

Instead, Khan said, it would be “more productive to engage with those who actually wield power.”

The military – which accuses Khan and his party of instigating attacks on military installations last year during widespread protests against his detention – has previously ruled out talks with him.

Khan's imprisonment has added to political volatility in Pakistan, which is in the midst of a prolonged economic crisis and last month received a bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

Political instability since Khan's ouster has forced Islamabad to accept painful IMF fiscal consolidation demands, which have imposed heavy taxes on the people, analysts say.

The IMF has called for political stability to help put the $350 billion economy back on the path to recovery.

Khan has rejected the idea of ​​reaching an amicable settlement with the government or the military unless they accept that his party, the PTI, won a majority in February's elections.

“The elections were the most rigged in Pakistan's history,” Khan told Reuters.

(Reporting by Asif Shahzad, editing by William Mallard)

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