Imran keen to mend fences with US

ISLAMABAD: Since his removal as prime minister, Imran Khan has been desperately knocking at the doors of the US for help which he had earlier blamed to be the major conspirators behind his ousting from the government.

From Khan’s removal from the government to his arrest following May 9 attacks and matters involving recently held elections in the country, Imran Khan has repeatedly approached the US either for his help or for its interference in the domestic politics of the country.

After no-confidence in April 2021, Khan has since blamed a US-led foreign conspiracy that also involved Pakistan’s powerful military establishment and his political rivals.

Imran Khan claimed that the US “threatened” him and was seeking his removal from office as he faced a no-confidence vote that could mean the end of his premiership.

However, after about seven months, Khan gave an interview to the Financial Times in November 2021 in which he had signaled his readiness to mend fences with the United States after repeatedly accusing Washington of conspiring to remove him from power in April.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s over, it’s behind me. The Pakistan I want to lead must have good relationships with everyone, especially the United States,” he said in an interview with the Financial Times.

The US chapter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf also hired two lobbying firms in the United States to make Americans aware of the threat to Imran Khan’s life. The move highlighted PTI’s efforts to win over sympathies for the former prime minister in Washington where he is not very popular.

Before his arrest on May 9 attacks, Imran Khan again spoke to four US lawmakers (Ted Lieu, Eric Swalwell, Brad Sherman, and Mike Levin) in less than a month, urging them to support his demand for free and fair elections in Pakistan. All the four legislators are Democrats.

When Khan was arrested following May 9 attacks, an alleged audio leak of zoom meeting surfaced between him and US Congresswoman Maxine Moore Waters in which he pleaded for congresswomen’s support and her voice to favour him.

Another red line was crossed when the PTI-led rally in the US sought support from them to impose sanctions on the military alleging violation of human rights. The accusations of rights violations follow the crackdown on leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as well as foot soldiers, after the May 9 attacks which targeted key military institutions including the GHQ and Jinnah House, the Lahore corps commander’s residence.

In the PTI rally held outside the White House, it was also reported that the PTI leaders also urged the Biden administration “not to deal with an extremely unpopular government, which has no moral justification for continuing to rule Pakistan”.

Before the general elections, PTI’s US chapter again hired a new public relations and a new lobbying firm to monitor Pakistan polls and to engage with the US and international media.

Now, Imran Khan (Wednesday) gave a statement that the US did not fulfil its responsibility against the anti-PTI measures in Pakistan. Imran Khan was quoted as saying that America has always patronized and imposed dictators and installed corrupt people as rulers adding that this was an opportunity for the US to rectify its past actions, adding that Washington should keep an eye on election rigging in Pakistan.

This was conveyed by PTI leader Barrister Saif while speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, along with senior party leader Asad Qaiser. Both apparently held a meeting with party founder Imran Khan.