Not army chief's job to seek US help in securing IMF loan: Imran

Tariq Butt, Correspondent

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that if the news about Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa contacting the US officials for early release of loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was true, "it means we (Pakistan) are getting weaker.”

Imran told a TV channel that it was not the army chief’s job to deal with economic matters. He questioned whether the US would demand anything in return if it decides to help Pakistan, saying he was afraid the country’s security would weaken, given their previous (the US) demands.

He said neither the IMF nor other countries trust the government. "I think that’s why the army chief has taken the responsibility now.”

Repeating his demand for early elections, Imran said political stability can only be brought about through fair and transparent elections. "Those sitting in power are afraid of the elections,” he said, recalling that when he was ousted from the office, he did nothing except approaching the public.

"Had they (coalition government) announced early elections, the country would have been saved from this disaster,” the PTI chairman said, adding absence of a roadmap is one of the reasons behind the economic crisis. He said that earlier Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and vice-president Maryam Nawaz had demanded snap polls, but now "they are afraid.”

"At this moment, the most alarming thing is the lack of trust of the market, somebody has to be held accountable for the current situation,” he asserted. On his relations with the opposition members, Imran said: "I don’t have any personal grudges against anybody. I had healthy relations with Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto; however, my issue is corruption as they come into power and make money for themselves.”

He said now that he sees their (coalition leaders) situation, he feels "sorry” for them. "Sometimes they target the judiciary, sometimes they say that they favoured Imran by bringing the no-confidence motion, while some say that the army has trapped them by mistrusting us,” he said.