Imran Khan Brings Anti-Musharraf Effort to US – NPR

Imran Khan in the USA short audio report on The Morning Edition of NPR talks about Imran Khan’s visit to the United States. He continues to argue for the independence of Judiciary and the need to pressure the American lobby to stop patronizing one man as the sole savior for all problems in Pakistan. Hear the discussion here

[audio:https://teeth.com.pk/blog/wp-content/audio/nprimrankhan.mp3]

Morning Edition, January 25, 2008 · A former cricket star who leads one of Pakistan’s minority parties spent time in Washington this week meeting with lawmakers and speaking out against U.S. support of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Imran Khan, an international celebrity since his days as a sports star, leads a much smaller party than that of Benazir Bhutto, the leader who was killed last month. But in Pakistan, he’s nearly as well known as Bhutto. And he says that next month’s elections there won’t be real, if they happen at all.

Musharraf removed the independent judges who would referee them. Yet Khan knows the president remains a U.S. ally in the war on terrorism. “Gen. Musharraf has done a brilliant PR job here where he has convinced the people that he is one man holding these hordes of terrorists, the bastion against these extremists….” Khan says. In an effort to change that image of Musharraf, Khan met this week with U.S. congressional leaders and spoke before audiences at a Washington think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and at the National Press Club.

Asked by a TV reporter whether he would accept a power-sharing agreement with Musharraf, Khan replies, “Absolutely not.” In an interview with NPR, Khan says “across the spectrum, from the right to the left, [Pakistanis] want Musharraf to go …. The U.S. administration must be getting this information. In Pakistan, according to all the polls, [U.S. officials] are backing someone who is deeply unpopular in the country.” Asked if the U.S. has enough influence to cause or prevent a change in Pakistan’s government, Khan says: “Well, at the moment, the only backer of Gen. Musharraf is the U.S. government. The army is only backing him now because they think that the U.S. government backs Musharraf.”

Last year, Musharraf purged the Pakistani supreme court of independent judges. Khan says his party wants the U.S. to “insist on the reinstatement of the constitutional judges of Pakistan. That’s all we want. And once that happens, then the constitution will take its course.” Khan’s party and other Musharraf opponents have vowed to boycott the upcoming elections in Pakistan until the judges are reinstated. “Sooner or later, we will have to have free and fair elections,” Khan says. “Any government coming out of these fraudulent elections is not going to last long.”


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8 responses to “Imran Khan Brings Anti-Musharraf Effort to US – NPR”

  1. Silence Avatar
    Silence

    US is going to keep Musharaf in power, they have their own agendas which can only be fulfilled while Musharaf is in power.

    Case of Shah of Iran is an example of US policy, did US realised that Shah was going unpopular and did they stopped supporting him, the reason is, that time US was intrested to push Iran in to hands of religious extremists and use Muslim ideology against rise of communism, and only way to push their agenda ahead was to streghthen religious extremists in Muslim world.

    There is again something similar going on, with rise of China which is being expected to change wolrd unipolar status, Muaharaf is fulfilling US aganda like Shah of Iran and Zia, only death will depart him from power (just like christian marriage).

  2. Jawan Avatar
    Jawan

    Imran keep fighting. This yet another challenge like world cup in 1992. But you had to face tough opposition then in the shape of West Indies, Australia, Newzeland, India and England. Yet you were able to inspire the whole team with the help of Allah and were succesful. This time around you have only one coward dictator and his chamchas to face and the whole nation is your team. We can do it like before.
    The dictator if falling. It is visible. He has lost nerves. His face blackened and his anger and frustration to imminent even to the western media where he went on another lieasure trip.
    We want our independence back. We want our rights back. We want our judges back and we do not have any confidence in the PCO judges.
    It is a matter of do or die for patriotic Pakistanis. We have to bring the criminal Musharraf in the court of Justice.
    “I heard that Mush these days is having nightmeres about Mr. Justice Khalil Ur Rehman Ranaday?”
    Keep following the dictator Imran and we are behind you.

  3. Kamran Avatar
    Kamran

    Inviting other governments to intefere in the our country is an act of High Treason-whether done by PPP, PML or Imran. I have had great respect for Imran but all our politicians should quit these acts of Mir Jaffar and Mir Sadiq.

  4. Jawan Avatar
    Jawan

    Kamran innocent soul! What about Musharraf? He has been ruling our country for 9 years on US support. Can you ignore him/ He is the biggest traitor Pakistan has ever witnessed after partition and is only challenged by Altef Hussain in this position.

  5. JinnahFan Avatar
    JinnahFan

    The NPR interview is a good one. Does anyone know if CSPAN broadcasted its show…I have been trying to look for it.

    Also, what became of the court cases against Altaf Hussain, seems like we have heard nothing in the past few months…..Imran needs to work on an international level if PTI is to get ahead….having Altaf humiliated by being arrested would be a huge blow to the MQM terrorists.

  6. awais Avatar
    awais

    imran khan keep it up

  7. ahsan waseem khan Avatar
    ahsan waseem khan

    hahahahahaha once i read a story of a rat who proposed a girl when asked how could you marry her rat said”leave that just look at my confidence”
    a man without any popularity without any vote bank posing as if he is the only good leader,why dont u leave politics and start coaching cricket.If anyone wants to meet the most unfair person in the world contact Imran the person who ruined the careers of many star cricketers how can he be a good politician,he should be hanged.SHAME ON U IMRAN……..

  8. Quias Chohan Lucky Avatar
    Quias Chohan Lucky

    I am full time Student and i fully support with the imran khan who is the leader of our pakistan not leader great and honest leader of our country we must me honour him and respect him by the great quality of their leader.

    0092-3216011894