Pakistan standing on the 'edge of darkness,' says Imran Khan

“We are standing on the edge of darkness,” said former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, as he spoke with MSNBC during an interview. He was commenting on the state of democracy in Pakistan since Shehbaz Sharif became prime minister of the country.

“There is no rule of law and an undeclared martial law in Pakistan currently," said Khan during the interview.

Khan has been facing a string of cases since his ouster from power last year. He was arrested in the month of May. Following his arrest, his supporters protested violently across the country.

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During his interview with MSNBC, Imran Khan also spoke about his coming to power if elections were to happen this year, his message to the American government, the role of the military and freedom of the press and other issues.

Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday declared that the Toshakhana case against Imran Khan was inadmissible, as per a report by ARY News.

Legal tweak

Just before this, Pakistan issued a presidential ordinance that granted extra detention power to Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the anti-graft body of the country.

The legal tweak allows the anti-graft body to issue arrest warrants and keep the suspects in detention for 30 days if they did not cooperate with an investigation. The move came hours before Khan and his wife appeared before the NAB.

Khan has made court appearances in 16 different cases and has received bail for all of them. These cases include three in the anti-terrorism court and two in the anti-corruption court, where he was questioned.

The government can pass laws swiftly through a presidential ordinance when parliament is not in session, but the assembly has to endorse the law within 90 days.

Parliament was in session but was prorogued on Monday through a government notification uploaded on its website. The ordinance was issued on Monday night.

Government officials allege that Khan and his wife received land worth millions of dollars as a bribe from a real estate tycoon Malik Riaz through a charitable trust. Khan and his aides, as well as the tycoon, have previously denied any wrongdoing.

Khan and his party faced a country-wide crackdown after the violence that followed his arrest, which included the ransacking of military installations. Hundreds of supporters and dozens of leaders were detained, and many have left his party.

(With inputs from agencies)

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