'U-turns' crucial for political leaders and generals: Imran Khan

Islamabad: Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday said "U-turns" are crucial for political leaders and generals, insisting the country could not afford a "weak" army.

Speaking at a seminar on media freedom in the federal capital, he said mistakes happen, and one should take a step back to reconsider that they have made a mistake.

Khan was referring to the military failures of Hitler and Napoleon against Russia. He said it was important for armed forces’ leaders to take U-turns. 

The PTI chairman said free and fair elections were the only solution to the country’s current quagmire.

Khan said the country could not afford a "weak army" as it is the nation's asset.

"Increasing distances between the army and the nation would be a loss for Pakistan and its armed force both," said Khan. 

The former premier reiterated that his struggle was to get rid of the Sharif and Zardari families from the political front "who have been taking turns to rule the country for the past 30 years."

"Pakistan has been ruled half the time by these two families and half the time by the dictators," said Khan, claiming that all the dictators in the past weakened the country's institutions and put fear above the law.

The former PM said freedom of expression was crucial for any nation, and no society can thrive without it.

Khan asserted the media was never a threat to him, nor he took any action against it during his tenure.

"I have never done anything wrong and never stole anything from the nation. I will not allow others to do it as well," said the PTI chairman.

He was of the view that those families [Sharifs and Zardaris] controlled the media and judiciary to cover their corruption.

The PTI stalwart said any journalists picked up by the authorities were not on his directives.

“[When I was the prime minister] it was discussed in the cabinet three to four times that some journalist was picked up. [I would like to say that] no journalist was picked up on my instructions. The problem was something else.”

Khan said the issue of abductions and missing persons came up after the war on terror, something which he said he had spoken against often.