Pakistan’s ex-prime minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that some officials within his ruling party had been pressured to resign in the wake of an investigation into corruption charges against people close to Khan.
Khan, who chairs the Movement for Justice (PTI) party, said that he had been providing “support” to those within the national and provincial governments allied to his party in “distress” but that these individuals were being “pressured” to resign.
The former cricket star and anti-graft campaigner, who came to power in 2019, said he had recently been made aware of this “false propaganda”.
“The reality is that PTI workers from various provinces have been coming to me with complaints of gross injustice and politicization in appointments and selections,” Khan wrote in a message on the microblogging website Twitter.
Khan did not name those who were being reportedly pressured, instead calling on his followers to “consider the gravity of the situation” and to “help rehabilitate those being victimized.”
Khan has faced criticism for failing to aggressively fight corruption in his government and for stifling dissent. The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered an investigation into multi-million dollar corruption cases involving people close to Khan’s government.
Khan has denied any involvement in these cases and has opposed any outside investigation into them. His government recently passed a controversial digital media bill that has been met with criticism from media freedom advocates.
Khan’s support of controversial social media reforms, the arrest of opposition politicians, and his party’s handling of the economy have further raised questions about his government’s commitment to democracy and human rights.