Dubai: Amid increasing popularity, Imran Khan, Pakistan's new political sensation, claimed that his life is in danger but said he is not afraid as he wants to die like a lion.
"I am facing life threats but it will not deter me from leading my ‘tsunami' to uproot corruption and the corrupt from the country for I have strong belief in Allah and the people of Pakistan," Khan told Gulf News at a reception in Dubai on Sunday night.
Khan, who is making headlines for his historic public rallies in Lahore and Karachi, believes that he can eradicate corruption within 90 days and make Pakistan self-reliant without any foreign aid but critics say it is the thinking of an immature politician.
However, Khan has his reasoning. "Fifty per cent of corruption will end when you have an honest prime minister [like Imran Khan] and the 25 per cent of corruption will go with honest ministers in the cabinet and the rest of the 25 per cent will [be eliminated through] good governance, reforms and policies with a good team to implement them," he said.
Khan, who is chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has promised people that he will introduce the best reforms across all walks of life with the best team to implement them should his party win the next elections.
"People want change and we have the match-winning team to win and create a new Pakistan devoid of corruption through the silent revolution in Pakistan," the cricketer-turned-politician said.
Families split by politics
Khan denied allegations that he has received support and funding from the nation's premier intelligence agency, ISI (Inter Services Intelligence), to pitch him against the other party as a third political force.
"I will quit politics for good if anyone proves that Imran got money from [the] ISI," he said.
On why he calls his "tsunami" a silent revolution, Khan said this is the first time in the history of Pakistan that even families have been split along political lines.
"If a father is following PPP [Pakistan People's Party] or any other party, his wife and children are supporting Imran and the numbers are multiplying with every passing day," he said.
Khan said his "tsunami" is going to Quetta in Balochistan on April 6 and then to other major cities in the country leading up to the elections which he said are expected this year.
Though Khan's new team — including stalwarts such as Shah Mahmoud Quraishi, former foreign minister of Pakistan, and Jahangir Tareen — accompanied him to the reception, Khan was the star of the night.
Some congratulated him for his success on the political front while others assured him of their support.
The reception, organised by Imran Chaudhry, a Dubai-based Pakistan businessman, was attended by leading businessmen, diplomats and even some film and television artists.
With never-ending energy, Khan kept explaining what his "tsunami" is all about and how he would change Pakistan.
"Dependence on [the United States] will go and we will break the begging bowl and will run the country with our own resources as we cannot be independent if we keep on getting aid from the world," he said.
Whether he is sure to win the next elections, Khan said: "The PTI will sweep the elections. I can see the game is out of the hands of the other two parties who are in power and they cannot stop me from winning."
Khan said he has no immediate programme for a political alliance but he is in talks with Jamaat-e-Islami. He ruled out any alliance with former president) Pervez Musharraf. "He should rest as he has played his innings."
