Tweet
I am neither Taliban Khan nor a US stooge: Imran
12 November, 2012
LONDON: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan has stated that Pakistan's elite liberals are the only pro-war liberals in the world who support George W Bush's war ideology.
The former cricket hero told 'The Mail' on Sunday in a wide-ranging interview that his English-speaking enemies call him "Taliban Khan" for opposing the drone strikes and the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan but: "Never have I once given a statement in support of the Taliban. Never once have I failed to condemn an attack on civilians. I don't know what I'm supposed to do — pick up a gun and charge against them?"
Khan added: "I get accused by liberals of being an extremist, and by the militants, an American stooge. It's a very thin line. One slip of the tongue and you can be killed here. There's that level of fanaticism."
The paper said Khan has serious chances of making a breakthrough in the next general elections as he has been able to mobilise those sections of the society who never took part in the electoral process.
War and corruption, Khan believes, are irredeemably linked: "We have the lowest tax to GDP ratio in the world — 61 percent of our national MPs pay no tax at all. Keeping Pakistan as a frontline state and prolonging the war allows the elite to rake in the foreign aid."
Khan said the attendance of thousands of people to his rallies is "the Pakistani version of the Arab Spring."
"A corrupt status quo has been ruling the Muslim world, but now the majority wants democratic rights. We have women who were educated in English-medium (speaking) schools, and we have boys who have been to the Madrassas (religious schools). Our support comes from across the class divide, and that's why it's so exciting."
The paper said: "In the political salons of Islamabad, opinions differ as to how successful Khan is likely to be. But there is agreement that this time the PTI has a real chance of power, and that even if it doesn't secure a majority, it will win a significant block of seats."
Khan said: "For the past three decades, I have watched the country degenerate. Someone as privileged as me has a choice. I can try to do something, or I could do nothing, and in that case, I cannot complain."
Khan said negotiated settlement with the Taliban is the only way forward to end the war, not only for Pakistan, but for the hapless British soldiers fighting in Helmand. "If you stop the drones, withdraw the army and engage the tribes, they are the ones who will, in time, win the war."
Khan added: "You know, I played in five world cups, and I never predicted we would win until the last one, against England in 1992. We were 50-1 outsiders. My friends were cancelling their tickets to come to Australia, but I said no, don't, we're going to win it. They all made fun of me, and a lot of people still regret that they didn't take my advice. They could have put money on us when we were 50-1."
End.
12 November, 2012
LONDON: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan has stated that Pakistan's elite liberals are the only pro-war liberals in the world who support George W Bush's war ideology.
The former cricket hero told 'The Mail' on Sunday in a wide-ranging interview that his English-speaking enemies call him "Taliban Khan" for opposing the drone strikes and the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan but: "Never have I once given a statement in support of the Taliban. Never once have I failed to condemn an attack on civilians. I don't know what I'm supposed to do — pick up a gun and charge against them?"
Khan added: "I get accused by liberals of being an extremist, and by the militants, an American stooge. It's a very thin line. One slip of the tongue and you can be killed here. There's that level of fanaticism."
The paper said Khan has serious chances of making a breakthrough in the next general elections as he has been able to mobilise those sections of the society who never took part in the electoral process.
War and corruption, Khan believes, are irredeemably linked: "We have the lowest tax to GDP ratio in the world — 61 percent of our national MPs pay no tax at all. Keeping Pakistan as a frontline state and prolonging the war allows the elite to rake in the foreign aid."
Khan said the attendance of thousands of people to his rallies is "the Pakistani version of the Arab Spring."
"A corrupt status quo has been ruling the Muslim world, but now the majority wants democratic rights. We have women who were educated in English-medium (speaking) schools, and we have boys who have been to the Madrassas (religious schools). Our support comes from across the class divide, and that's why it's so exciting."
The paper said: "In the political salons of Islamabad, opinions differ as to how successful Khan is likely to be. But there is agreement that this time the PTI has a real chance of power, and that even if it doesn't secure a majority, it will win a significant block of seats."
Khan said: "For the past three decades, I have watched the country degenerate. Someone as privileged as me has a choice. I can try to do something, or I could do nothing, and in that case, I cannot complain."
Khan said negotiated settlement with the Taliban is the only way forward to end the war, not only for Pakistan, but for the hapless British soldiers fighting in Helmand. "If you stop the drones, withdraw the army and engage the tribes, they are the ones who will, in time, win the war."
Khan added: "You know, I played in five world cups, and I never predicted we would win until the last one, against England in 1992. We were 50-1 outsiders. My friends were cancelling their tickets to come to Australia, but I said no, don't, we're going to win it. They all made fun of me, and a lot of people still regret that they didn't take my advice. They could have put money on us when we were 50-1."
End.
Comment