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Ahmad
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Joined: 04 Nov 2007
Posts: 1178
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Location: Lahore
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 Posted: Nov 07, 2007 Topic Views : 494 Post subject: Imran Khan escapes house arrest in Pakistan |
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Cricket star turned politician Imran Khan has escaped house arrest in Pakistan and gone into hiding, his ex-wife Jemima revealed last night.
She released an email from her former husband saying he gave police the slip after they ransacked his home in Lahore and roughed up family members.
The drama came amid rising international concern over the crackdown on lawyers and political opponents by President Pervez Musharraf.
Happier times: Jemima Khan with ex-husband Imran in Pakistan - he is now in hiding from General Musharraf's men
In his email, Mr Khan wrote: "They are using sheer force against lawyers, human rights organisations, political activists and all genuine opposition leaders are in jail.
"The police have ransacked my house and ill-treated my family members."
He said he escaped after intelligence sources warned him that he was to be taken to prison.
Mr Khan also accused the United States of being complicit in Musharraf's decision to declare a state of emergency, because he was a key ally in the war on terror.
He said: "They are backing Musharraf as he could never get his way if they were serious about stopping him.
Genearl Musharraf: Under growing pressure to give up his uniform and end a state of emergency
"Our aim is to continue the struggle and mobilise the youth of the country from underground." Musharraf claims his dramatic action on Saturday was a response to rising Islamic extremism.
Jemima Khan condemned Britain and the US for a muted response, and rejected Musharraf's claim to be defending Pakistan against Islamic extremism.
She said: "Musharraf needs extremists to guarantee his support from the West and to stay in power: his real goal."
She said her ex-husband was now in hiding "along with most of his party and his thousands who fear reprisals for criticising the government".
The Khans spoke out as police clashed for a second day with lawyers protesting against the state of emergency and the ousted Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, warned: "The constitution has been ripped to shreds."
Chaudhry, who is under virtual house arrest in the capital, Islamabad, sent supporters a mobile phone message saying: 'Go to every corner of Pakistan and give the message that this is the time to sacrifice.
"Don't be afraid. God will help us and the day will come when you'll see the constitution supreme and no dictatorship for a long time."
Thousands of protestors have been rounded up by police, while others are under house arrest.
Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who returned from eight years in exile last month after a deal with Musharraf, flew to Islamabad to consult other opposition leaders but said she would not meet the president, let alone negotiate with him on forming a caretaker government.
Police in Pakistan bundle a lawyer into their van after arresting him outside Sindh high court in Karachi during a protest against the state of emergency
She said: "Musharraf must implement the restoration of the constitution and if he doesn't the international community must choose between the people of Pakistan and him."
Just 24 hours after senior members of Musharraf's administration promised that elections would go ahead as planned in January, Miss Bhutto claimed they could be postponed for as long as a year while a senior government official suggested a figure of two months.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said he hoped "friendly countries" would understand that, with a mounting Islamic and militant threat, "extraordinary steps" had been needed.
Benazir Bhutto: Arrived in Islamabad and declared she will not negotiate with Musharraf
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