Responsibility was mine, actual rule was someone else’s: Imran on his time as prime minister

[HAIDER]

Responsibility was mine, actual rule was someone else’s: Imran on his time as prime minister​

Umar Farooq Published October 12, 2022 Updated 8 minutes ago




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PTI Chairman Imran Khan interacts with journalists in Lahore on Wednesday. — PTI Twitter screengrab
PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday said that while running the country was supposed to be his responsibility during his time as the prime minister, the actual rule was of “someone else”.
Imran, who has claimed before as well that he did not have complete liberty to run the country, did not clarify who he was referring to.
The former prime minister made the latest claim in an interaction with journalists in Lahore.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1580156519298916353

He further said that if “even half the power would have been given” to him in his three and a half years in power, his government would have competed with the performance of Sher Shah Suri — the famed founder of the Sur Empire.
It is not the first time the PTI chief has insinuated that his government was not at liberty to call all the shots.
In an interview in June with anchorperson Sami Ibrahim for Bol News programme Tajzia, the former prime minister had admitted he did not enjoy absolute power, indicating that the actual centres of power in the country lay elsewhere and “everyone knows where that is.”
In the interview, Imran was asked to recall the events of the night of the no-confidence vote against him, who was issuing orders and who had impeded the cases against the PPP and PML-N leaders.
Imran said his government had been “weak” when it came to power and had to seek coalition partners, adding that if the same situation were to arise again, he would opt for reelections and seek a majority government or none at all.
“Our hands were tied. We were blackmailed from everywhere. Power wasn’t with us. Everyone knows where the power lies in Pakistan so we had to rely on them,” he said without elaborating any further on who he was referring to.
“We relied on them all the time. They did a lot of good things too but they didn’t do many things that should’ve been done. They have the power because they control institutions such as NAB (National Accountability Bureau), which wasn’t in our control.”
He claimed that while his government had the responsibility, it did not have all the power and authority.
“No management works if I have responsibility but have no complete power and authority. A system works only when responsibility and authority are in one place.”
Imran said it was imperative for the country to have a “strong army” due to the threat posed by the enemies but said there was also the need to strike a “balance” between having a strong army and a strong government.

 

[Maula Jatt]

then you should have resigned? whats the point of complaining now?

 

[fna]

then you should have resigned? whats the point of complaining now?

dont cooperate, become asghar khan. treated like a bloody civilian despite being CAS.
cooperate, become IK.
well wishing pakistanis are between a rock and hard place.
only solution is to be like aaz or mns, phir maujan hi maujan. at least in this world.

 

[-=virus=-]

what kind of mad man "strategist" would dare go against the powers that have always been there ?

it's been such a deity there, and a much beloved and revered institution, the faujidom.

this is one place where it really amazes one, how the 2 countrys diverge.. Pak me coup pe coup.. yahan ekdum super haraam.. we can't even imagine it even if Sam Manekshaw was asked about it by a worried Indira back in the day.

"no, sweetie" or something epic, said the general to Indira, ekdum ear me whisper kara.. lol, there's plenty of vids of Sam out there !

now your Kraken has finally emerged to consume you before it feasts on others

ek extremely pragmatic business oriented general aa jae.. that would be a peak ideal situation, spl given what we're having to work with right now.

 

[Olympus81]

You should have resigned. Why did you continue?

Or discuss this issue in parliament and just held a nation wide conference and spilled the beans.

Or just shut up.

 

[Indos]

This is basically a very brave statement. Now it is clear that Pakistan Armed Force is the most powerful political force in Pakistan, it then lets to Pakistani whether they want to keep thing like this or make some reform. I dont suggest any revolution, reform can be made without any revolution when the country is "formally" already under a democratic (parliamentary) system....

This is like a man (civilian ruler) who has already had been given a gun (constitution and other law) they never use, the next should be done is to use the "gun" to enforce the civilian power .........

The ammunition that needs to be prepared is the support from the people in order to be able to use that gun (constitutional power)....

 

[Indos]

You should have resigned. Why did you continue?

Or discuss this issue in parliament and just held a nation wide conference and spilled the beans.

Or just shut up.

This message is good to be spread. The one that hold the power of those military generals are basically you guys. Majority of Pakistani even in favor of military authoritarian ruler, there is one old guy living in USA who keep making article in PDF to support Musarraf era (military ruling).......

Several years ago, Pakistani members in here are in huge support of their military. So this change within Pakistani upper middle class has already been a good thing if you want to get rid Military intervention into your domestic politics.

The first thing to do is to unite the civilian force, there should be a basic belief among the civilian political power and all of political analysts, including universities that civilian ruling should be implemented in Pakistan politics.

 

[villageidiot]

then you should have resigned? whats the point of complaining now?

you know no one would have believed him, right? they would've said, he's good for nothing. is se kaam nhi hua to hmari beloved fauj pe ilzam daal diya.

the scales are more even today. next time around the fauj will have less room to maneuver.
@Olympus81

This message is good to be spread. The one that hold the power of those military generals are basically you guys. Majority of Pakistani even in favor of military authoritarian ruler, there is one old guy living in USA who keep making article in PDF to support Musarraf era (military ruling).......

Several years ago, Pakistani members in here are in huge support of their military. So this change within Pakistani upper middle class has already been a good thing if you want to get rid Military intervention into your domestic politics.

The first thing to do is to unite the civilian force, there should be a basic belief among the civilian political power and all of political analysts, including universities that civilian ruling should be implemented in Pakistan politics.

this guy knows what he's talking about.

 

[lastofthepatriots]

Pakistan Army wants to keep the nation as a failed state to consolidate their power. That much is very clear.

 

[SaadH]

Only solution/paradigm for Pakistan or any other third world Muslim/ME country aspiring to break the chains of colonial slavery is through bloody revolution a la the Taliban.

 

[LakeHawk180]

This message is good to be spread.

My first thought on this as well. The guy is an erratic loose cannon but in a country like Pakistan that’s used to military dictatorship — someone needs to keep making the case for democracy and making the military subordinate to civilian leadership. This is a good thing for them over the long run if he’s able to ensure this message continues to gain traction.

I don’t think resignation would have worked at all.

 

[Indos]

Only solution/paradigm for Pakistan or any other third world Muslim/ME country aspiring to break the chains of colonial slavery is through bloody revolution a la the Taliban.

There cannot be a revolution when the Army is staying united. After what happen in Syria and Libya, I believe there will be no Army personnel that will support that bloody revolution idea.

Afghanistan is different case, Taliban has already been a power since 1990's due to Afganistan war when they are under USSR occupation. The same thing like in Indonesia, there was huge Islamist militant power coming out after we gain real independence in 1949 (defeating Dutch). Then civil war happening in Indonesia during that moment, but the result is in the opposite of Afganistan story.

The change of a nation usually happen after the upper middle class and intellectuals have similar voice. The lower middle class and the poor will likely follow them if the voice is very logic. If the voice is strong enough then it can reform the mind of the military leaders as they know it is the route that is needed for the nation to be successful.

The civilian leaders should also show some maturity among them when they are debating and it means dont let the words like traitors are even spoken to their opponent. By watching what happen in Thailand, Tunisia, Sudan, and Egypt, we can surely understand that if the civilian power are too divided and hate each other, the military will have more moral support from the people to intervene and become the real ruler to provide stability and security of the nation

 

[Maula Jatt]

Only solution/paradigm for Pakistan or any other third world Muslim/ME country aspiring to break the chains of colonial slavery is through bloody revolution a la the Taliban.

when people from Taliban controlled areas stop coming to Pakistan as refugees
and you move to Taliban land- than ill agree

 

[SaadH]

when people from Taliban controlled areas stop coming to Pakistan as refugees
and you move to Taliban land- than ill agree

The way things are regressing in Pakistan, you might just get your wish in the next decade or so...

As it is and despite 40 years of constant warfare and other dysfunction and disadvantages, Afghanistan's per capita GDP is half of Pakistan's. I suspect it will be on par within the next 10-15 years and in 20 years they will leave us behind just like Bangers did...

 

[maverick1977]

Sad but true, what a country.. so unlucky...