Imran Khan on failed peace with India, Pakistan’s plight, and his own fate

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan sat down with Wajahat S. Kahn, a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Pakistan Initiative, for an interview on June 18, 2023. Khan, who was ousted from power in April 2022, revealed new details about why efforts to achieve a historic peace with India collapsed and spoke to the worries he heard his army chief express about the state of Pakistani military readiness relative to India. He claimed that the former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa told him “frequently” that the army was not equipped or prepared for a war with India. He also lamented the steep decline of Pakistan’s economy and democracy and explained why he’s preparing himself for the possibility of being jailed or even assassinated. For more background and analysis of the interview with Imran Khan, please visit: For the full transcript of the conversation, visit: Note: this interview has been posted in its entirety. When asked for comment on allegations made against him, which have been repeated multiple times by Imran Khan, Husain Haqqani told the Atlantic Council: “Like all conspiracy theorists and demagogues, Imran Khan does not feel the need to offer any evidence of allegations he makes.” Haqqani’s attorney has also issued a cease-and-desist letter to Khan for making “false and defamatory statements” about Haqqani. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe for more! Driven by our mission of “shaping the global future together,” the Atlantic Council is a nonpartisan organization that galvanizes US leadership and engagement in the world, in partnership with allies and partners, to shape solutions to global challenges. Find out more about us below or at Twitter: Facebook: LinkedIn: Instagram: