Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan has joined hands with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to end the rule of Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan, asserting that Musharraf may not continue in power this year.
"Gen Musharraf is mortally wounded (following the nation-wide agitation sparked by the suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry). He may struggle for a while, but he will fall. In my opinion Gen Musharraf is not going to last this year when we have free and fair elections," Khan said at a question and answer session at the London School of Economics on Tuesday evening.
Asked about his party Tehreek-e-Insaf's (Movement for Social Justice) talks with Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan said, "I am closest to Pakistan Muslim League headed by Sharif as he has clearest agenda -- no compromise with Gen Musharraf."
"Former prime minister and chief of Pakistan People's Party Benazir Bhutto talks about a deal with Musharraf and the deal you can have (with the military ruler) is detrimental to Pakistan," he said.
Earlier in the day, Khan and Nawaz Sharif announced that they would hold a conference in London next month to which Bhutto would also be invited.
"We will work together and not just against this dictatorship but even when we think that Musharraf's tenure is over... because our objectives are the same," Khan said. The all-party conference will be held for two days from July 7.
Musharraf overthrew Sharif in a 1999 Coup and then retained power in 2002 elections after gathering disaffected members of Sharif's PML and Bhutto's PPP.
Speaking on Democracy or Dictatorship? Emerging Political Crisis in Pakistan, Khan described the elite of Pakistan as 'corrupt and decadent.'
"Basically the elite did not care for the people. Whoever comes to power, the elite become part of them," he said.
Referring to the Justice system in Pakistan, Khan said: "The jails are full of people who have no access to justice and criminals are occupying high places."
"Only way to change Pakistan is through politics," he said, urging Pakistani youths studying in the UK to come back and take active part in politics.
He said sacking of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on March 9 and subsequent movement launched by lawyers might result in the country having an independent judiciary.
"Now most of the judges are behind the Chief Justice and the judiciary is fighting for its independence. In fact all this will have its impact in the next general elections," he said.
Answering a question, he said India had a one-party in power for quite some time and 'they had a real hero 16 years ago in T N Seshan, Chief Election Commissioner who conducted the most free and fair elections. Since then democracy has got better and better.'
"But Pakistan is just like France before the French Revolution," he said.
He complimented the Independent TV in Pakistan for 'exposing' the 'State-sponsored terror' on peaceful supporters of Chief Justice Chaudhry in Karachi in which 48 people were killed and another 200 sustained gunshot wounds.
