Former Pak PM Imran Khan claims 'establishment is reality' and 'above the law': Report

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 16 (ANI): Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that "establishment is a reality" and "above the law." Speaking on the existence of the establishment in the country's politics, Imran Khan said that the situation in Pakistan will improve when the establishment starts working for the rule of law, Daily Times reported.
"The establishment is a reality and it is above the law. The situation [of the country] will improve when it starts working for the rule of law," Daily Times quoted Imran Khan as saying.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman said political engineering continues to exist and stressed that his party will resist if attempts to reduce the mandate are made in Punjab, Daily Times reported. He said that the members of his party were provoked against him and were asked to become part of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
"Political engineering is still underway, which is why the [different factions] of the MQM-P [Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan] has been merged," Daily Times quoted Imran Khan as saying.
Calling for free and fair elections in Pakistan, the PTI chairman urged Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir to ensure transparent polling, as per the news report. He said that the power possessed by the military is not possessed by any military institution.
According to Daily Times, Khan, while speaking with journalists in Lahore, said, "I hope the serving army chief would ensure transparent [general] elections. The amount of power that the military has is not possessed by any other institution."
He said that no one could stop the progress of Pakistan if the armed forces "plays a positive role."
On January 8, Khan accused the establishment of being involved in "political engineering" to weaken his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to have a 'weak' government in the country and added that "political engineering" is still undergoing in the country, The Express Tribune reported.
"Unfortunately, we have not learnt any lesson from the past as political engineering is still undergoing. MQM is being merged, BAP is being pushed into PPP, and efforts are being made to strengthen PPP in South Punjab," The Express Tribune quoted Khan as saying.
In his virtual address to the party's women convention in Karachi, Khan had said, "PTI is the only party that can pull the country out of the current economic quagmire", as he called for free and fair elections.
According to The Express Tribune report, he blamed former Pakistan army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa for pushing the country into chaos. (ANI)