In a letter from jail, Pakistan's former prime minister and jailed PTI leader Imran Khan has claimed that India has "admitted" to carrying out assassinations from inside the country.
Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan has claimed that India has "admitted" to carrying out assassinations from inside the country. In his letter from jail, published by The Telegraph UK, the jailed PM has also stated that Pakistan is headed towards the same path in 1971, moments before the independence of Bangladesh.
In the column published by the UK daily, Imran Khan has stated that there has been an upsurge in terrorism in Pakistan, which is resulting in the alienation of Balochistan.
"On Pakistan’s borders, India has already admitted to undertaking assassinations inside of Pakistan and the international border with Afghanistan remains volatile," stated the jailed PTI chief.
In April 2024, UK daily The Guardian had published a report in which Pakistani and Indian intelligence operatives claimed that the Indian Government has assassinated individuals on Pakistani soil. The report claimed that these killings were part of the Indian government's strong approach towards national security from 2019 onwards.
India, however, has denied all claims. Speaking to CNN News 18, Union Minister Rajnath Singh stated that "India has never attacked any country or tried to capture their territory" when asked about The Guardian report. However, he added that "if anyone threatens India or its peace, they will not be spared".
The Ministry of External Affairs further denied the findings of the report and stated that it was an attempt to spread "false and malicious propaganda" against India.
The UK daily's report had been based on an accusation made by the Pakistani Government in January 2024. The Pakistan government had accused New Delhi of carrying out assassinations on Pakistani soil, which were also similar to the allegations made by the US and Canada against India.
"Indian agents used technology and safe havens on foreign soil to commit assassinations in Pakistan. They recruited, financed, and supported criminals, terrorists, and unsuspecting civilians to play defined roles in these assassinations," stated the allegations made by Pakistan. However, MEA refuted these claims and accused its neighbor of spreading "anti-India propaganda".
In his letter from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, the former PM has brought to light several issues within Pakistan. These issues range from the question of Balochistan to the February 8 general elections.
When it comes to the matter of Balochistan, Khan stated that Pakistan is set on the same path as 1971, when Bangladesh separated from Pakistan and gained independence.
Khan also addressed his ouster and how "an engineered vote of no confidence was moved against my government and a government cobbled together by the military establishment came into being" in 2022.
Continuing the vote rigging allegations made by PTI, the leader stated that instead of accepting the people's mandate, the military establishment of Islamabad "manipulated the electoral results" and brought the losers of the elections into power.
On February 8, all three parties in Pakistan failed to secure a majority vote in the general elections. However, Imran Khan's candidates from PTI, who ran as independents as they were not given a symbol, secured the maximum number of votes.
However, a coalition between Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari formed the government and Shehbaz Sharif resumed his role as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Pakistan-Tehreek e Insaf's leader further penned the "sorry state of judicial affairs" in the country and stated - "With an economy in crisis, spiralling prices and a people politically angry at having their electoral mandate stolen and being economically beleaguered, the state stands isolated."
Imran Khan was jailed on August 5, 2023, under allegations of corruption in the Toshakhana case. However, despite him refuting all allegations against him, the number of cases filed against Khan and now his wife Bushra Bibi have increased.
Addressing this, the Pakistani leader stated that "the military establishment has done all they could against me. All that is left for them is to now murder me. I have stated publicly that if anything happens to me or my wife, General Asim Munir will be responsible."