Pakistan: Ex-PM Imran Khan openly accuses military of trying to destroy his party

Pakistan's embattled former prime minister Imran Khan has accused the military of openly trying to destroy his political party, saying he had "no doubt" he would be tried in a military court and thrown in jail.

"It is completely the establishment," the former cricket hero told Reuters, when asked who was behind the crackdown. "Establishment obviously means the military establishment, because they are really now openly — I mean, it's not even hidden now — they're just out in the open."

A spokesman for the military did not respond to a request for comment.

A bruising year-long standoff between Khan and the army came to a head when military buildings and property were ransacked last month, allegedly by his supporters.

The political unrest has increased uncertainty in the nuclear-armed country of 220 million, which is also beset by financial turmoil. Its $350 billion economy is struggling to stave off default, control record inflation and deal with a plummeting currency.

Khan termed the violent protests, which erupted after he was briefly arrested, a "false flag operation" meant to target him.

Authorities have begun the process of trying dozens of people, including members of his party, suspected of involvement in the protests in military court.

"That's the only way they are going to get me into prison," Khan said, adding that the military wanted to stop him from returning to power in elections due by November.

He said about 150 criminal cases filed against him were frivolous and would get thrown out in any civilian court.

"So their only hope, and because they are determined to get me out of the way, I think they will, their whole charade of military courts is to imprison me," he said.

"I have absolutely no doubt that the military courts are meant for me," said Khan, who is out on bail.

Khan said the country's intelligence agency, the military's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), was deeply involved in the crackdown.

"(I am) someone who's been known in this country for 50 years, who's probably won all the awards in this country and probably the most well-known Pakistani, and suddenly being treated as a sort of alien, as an enemy of the state."