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War on terror has cost Pakistan $50 billion and 40,000 people killed or injured, says Imran Khan
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Today at 10:35am
During his visit to London earlier this month, Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in an exclusively interview with The Muslim News, he argued that Pakistan should be independent of US influence in the country which is destroying Pakistan.
Muslim News: In February 2008 a sense of jubilation swept through Pakistan following the defeat of Musharrafs supporters in the general election. Two years later that jubilation has given way to disillusionment as the anticipated turnaround in the countrys fortunes has not materialised. It is said that Musharraf inflicted such profound damage upon the Pakistani state that any succeeding Government would struggle to reverse the decline. Do you agree with this view?
Imran Khan: There is no doubt that the greatest damage done to the Pakistani state was by Musharraf, and the biggest blow he delivered was to make us fight someone elses war for a pittancefor peanuts. For the head of state to prostitute his own country is unprecedented: there are no examples of a country taking money from another to bomb its own people.
Secondly, he corrupted the whole system to stay in power, destroying every institution and in the end got unstuck fighting the Supreme Court. But his lasting and most damaging legacy was the NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance]. In order to save himself he waived corruption cases against 8000 people, but crucially against Benazir and Zardari worth One thousand one trillion and 65 billion Rupees. On their cases alone, he spent 2bn Rupees of Pakistani taxpayers money. And in the end he decided to forgive everyone only to save his own skin.
That NRO enabled Zardari to run the country, with the help of the 17th amendment which was Musharraf specific, which he engineered to assume extra powers.
The Americans pre-poll rigged the elections because they brokered the NRO. They wanted a Government which was enough of a US puppet to bomb its own people for a pittance.
Muslim News: The Americans were a party to the NRO?
Imran Khan: The Americans brokered the NRO .
Yes, M damaged us and it was his legacy in the end which brought us this Government.
Muslim News: Amidst the disillusionment we find a shift in public allegiances as it looks to a reinvigorated Judiciary, and an increasingly fearless media as the vanguards of change. Are you concerned that the existing system of democratic politics itself is in danger of being discredited?
Imran Khan: Actually democracy in Pakistan is strengthening; it is the politics of status quo which is weakening. By that I mean politicians are being exposed, their lies are being caught out. The Rupee continues to fall as top politicians siphon their money through hawala [unofficial bank channels]. There is no tax paid on this moneymost of it is made through corruption. While these crooks send out money amounting to $9bn plus through these channels, overseas Pakistanis work 10-14 hours a day to send remittances back to Pakistan --$8-9bn plus.
So that is the paradox: the democratic system is gaining as this information raises the level of political awareness in unprecedented ways; politicians of the status quo who do politics for their personal benefit are being exposed.
Muslim News: PTI is seen as a new force in Pakistani politics, a flag-bearer for doing politics with a conscience. Yet, its participation in recent by-elections has, with few exceptions, delivered disappointing results. What do you make of this?
Imran Khan: Remember that a sitting govt never loses a by-election. ANP is now more popular in the Frontier than ever in its history. If you look at the poll ratings, PTI stands at 22% and ANP at 8-9%; yet ANP has won all the by elections with a huge majority. Similarly PML-N has won all the elections.
Firstly, by-elections are won by sitting Governments because people need them to get anything done. So the sitting govt has this ability to lure the voter by promising them packagesroads, houses etc. Once elections are announced no Government can do that so this is pre poll rigging. Secondly, the entire election commission staff is provided by the Government so there is a massive opportunity to rig the election. All parties contesting the elections have lodged complaints of rigging. Thirdly, we contested the elections to put our party machinery in motion. Remember we are a new party; we need to understand the electoral process. Putting our party through it has taught us valuable lessonswhich mistakes to avoid in selecting candidates, polling day staff, the kind of finances needed.
We did this as we envisage that we are heading for a mid term general election.
Share
Today at 10:35am
During his visit to London earlier this month, Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in an exclusively interview with The Muslim News, he argued that Pakistan should be independent of US influence in the country which is destroying Pakistan.
Muslim News: In February 2008 a sense of jubilation swept through Pakistan following the defeat of Musharrafs supporters in the general election. Two years later that jubilation has given way to disillusionment as the anticipated turnaround in the countrys fortunes has not materialised. It is said that Musharraf inflicted such profound damage upon the Pakistani state that any succeeding Government would struggle to reverse the decline. Do you agree with this view?
Imran Khan: There is no doubt that the greatest damage done to the Pakistani state was by Musharraf, and the biggest blow he delivered was to make us fight someone elses war for a pittancefor peanuts. For the head of state to prostitute his own country is unprecedented: there are no examples of a country taking money from another to bomb its own people.
Secondly, he corrupted the whole system to stay in power, destroying every institution and in the end got unstuck fighting the Supreme Court. But his lasting and most damaging legacy was the NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance]. In order to save himself he waived corruption cases against 8000 people, but crucially against Benazir and Zardari worth One thousand one trillion and 65 billion Rupees. On their cases alone, he spent 2bn Rupees of Pakistani taxpayers money. And in the end he decided to forgive everyone only to save his own skin.
That NRO enabled Zardari to run the country, with the help of the 17th amendment which was Musharraf specific, which he engineered to assume extra powers.
The Americans pre-poll rigged the elections because they brokered the NRO. They wanted a Government which was enough of a US puppet to bomb its own people for a pittance.
Muslim News: The Americans were a party to the NRO?
Imran Khan: The Americans brokered the NRO .
Yes, M damaged us and it was his legacy in the end which brought us this Government.
Muslim News: Amidst the disillusionment we find a shift in public allegiances as it looks to a reinvigorated Judiciary, and an increasingly fearless media as the vanguards of change. Are you concerned that the existing system of democratic politics itself is in danger of being discredited?
Imran Khan: Actually democracy in Pakistan is strengthening; it is the politics of status quo which is weakening. By that I mean politicians are being exposed, their lies are being caught out. The Rupee continues to fall as top politicians siphon their money through hawala [unofficial bank channels]. There is no tax paid on this moneymost of it is made through corruption. While these crooks send out money amounting to $9bn plus through these channels, overseas Pakistanis work 10-14 hours a day to send remittances back to Pakistan --$8-9bn plus.
So that is the paradox: the democratic system is gaining as this information raises the level of political awareness in unprecedented ways; politicians of the status quo who do politics for their personal benefit are being exposed.
Muslim News: PTI is seen as a new force in Pakistani politics, a flag-bearer for doing politics with a conscience. Yet, its participation in recent by-elections has, with few exceptions, delivered disappointing results. What do you make of this?
Imran Khan: Remember that a sitting govt never loses a by-election. ANP is now more popular in the Frontier than ever in its history. If you look at the poll ratings, PTI stands at 22% and ANP at 8-9%; yet ANP has won all the by elections with a huge majority. Similarly PML-N has won all the elections.
Firstly, by-elections are won by sitting Governments because people need them to get anything done. So the sitting govt has this ability to lure the voter by promising them packagesroads, houses etc. Once elections are announced no Government can do that so this is pre poll rigging. Secondly, the entire election commission staff is provided by the Government so there is a massive opportunity to rig the election. All parties contesting the elections have lodged complaints of rigging. Thirdly, we contested the elections to put our party machinery in motion. Remember we are a new party; we need to understand the electoral process. Putting our party through it has taught us valuable lessonswhich mistakes to avoid in selecting candidates, polling day staff, the kind of finances needed.
We did this as we envisage that we are heading for a mid term general election.
