Imran Khan softens stance, agrees to avoid criticism of state institutions

ISLAMABAD: Days after blasting the government, politicians, and state institutions in one of his distressed statements, former prime minister Imran Khan has reportedly agreed to refrain from criticising institutions. 

The agitated ex-PM on Monday took to X to criticise state institutions and the government saying “the only aim of prolonging the £190 million case aimed to pressure him.

“I demand that the verdict be announced immediately because they will face the same fate the way they faced in both Iddat and cipher cases.”

Khan had also said: “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was just a puppet and an ‘orderly’. The former premier Shaukat Aziz during Musharaf’s era was more powerful than Shehbaz because at least elections were not rigged under him as were stolen in February 2024.”

He had said that the current illegal and weak coterie, a by-product of Form-47 and rigged elections, is actually a bloat in the name of a government.

The former premier mentioned, “I have seen all martial laws in the country from Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zia-ul-Haq to Perviz Musharraf. The democratic dispensation was completely trampled under the dictatorship of both Yahya Khan and Ziaul Haq, while Mushraf regime was a bit literal in this regard.”

“What is happening in the country today in the name of democracy can only be compared to the dictatorship of Yahya Khan.”

Today, Khan met his party’s chairman Barrister Gohar and other leaders at Adiala Jail, and stressed upon the necessity of a third round of negotiations with the government.

According to a Dawn News’ report, after this meeting, Imran Khan has softened his stance as the top leadership of his party advised him to avoid direct criticism of the establishment, emphasizing that targeting institutions could worsen the situation for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The report further claimed that PTI has decided to shift its criticism solely toward political opponents. 

The PTI leadership reportedly believes that statements from party leaders against state institutions is taking the PTI’s hardships to the next level, while they seek to ease tensions and find a solution through dialogue.

The report also claimed that Imran Khan has agreed to this approach, and other PTI leaders have also been instructed to refrain from making statements against institutions. 

Read Next: No extension in winter holidays in Punjab schools