Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has said that he does not need establishment, believing that the party which has public support in the country does not need crutches. 

In an interview with BBC, Imran Khan said: “It is being reported that I want to talk to the Army Chief. But I want to make it clear that I do not need establishment. The party which has public support in the country, does not need crutches.”

Khan said that he expected a shift after the appointment of a new army chief, but there has been no such change.

The PTI leader asserted that he only wanted elections in the country and for that, he was ready to talk to anyone.

In response to a question, Khan added, “I was asked if the establishment is willing to talk then will I be interested? I said I am a political man, I will talk to everyone, except thieves.”

He also clarified that he never invited the army chief or Shehbaz Sharif to talk.

Responding to a question about the attitude of the establishment after the change of military leadership, the PTI chairman said: “It doesn’t matter. Cases were made against us during General Bajwa’s tenure. But such kind of custodial torture was never meted out to the senior people before.”

On a question about elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khan said if the government did not hold elections, it would be a contempt of court and violation of constitution. 

He further claimed: “They want me to be disqualified or they want me to send to jail so that they can win the election. In 2018, I won the election because nation was against the ruling parties. Seeing the level of inflation in the country this time round, these parties will be buried deep.”

Regarding the appointment of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as party president, Khan said, “The vice chairman is the number two leader of the party. Pervaiz Elahi tolerated the pressure of the establishment. He stuck to us in difficult times, so he was given the party president post to honour him.”

Khan said there were more than 70 cases against him, these cases were strange, and they would end as soon as he went to the court. He was of the view that the government wanted that he did not run an election campaign. “They want to play the match without captain,” he added.

He said his lawyers told the courts that either the court should provide assurance on his security or allow him to participate in the proceedings through video link. 

He said he was recuperating from the gunshot wound and doctors advised him against walking and standing for long. He said his life was in danger, adding that when he went to Lahore and Islamabad courts, no security was provided to him. 

The PTI leader said that his opponents wanted chaos in order to avoid elections. He said whenever the PTI took out a rally, then the police would come. Police broke our vehicles, used water cannons on our supporters and arrested our people during PTI yesterday’s rally, Khan rued.

He said that it’s the responsibility of the interim government to conduct elections, how could they stop it.