Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks during a joint news conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani (not pictured) at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan November 19, 2020. REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail - RC2C6K9V0433
Islamabad [Pakistan], January 3 (ANI): Pakistan‘s former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan admitted being a “playboy” after ex-army chief General (Retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa called him that before his ouster, The News International reported. While interacting with media persons in Lahore, Khan said, “General Bajwa called me a playboy, and in reply, I said to him ‘Yes, I had been a playboy‘. Bajwa was stabbing us in the back and also showing sympathy.”
He further claimed that Bajwa’s set-up is still working with the Pakistan army. Without taking anyone’s name, Khan said, “In Pakistan, the establishment is the name of one person,” according to The News International. Talking about his relations with Bajwa, the former PM said that the former army chief did not want accountability in the country, hence, his relationship with him worsened.
Referring to a question, Imran said Bajwa was expressing solidarity with him after stabbing him in the back. The former army chief was against the rule of law in the country, Imran claimed. Khan, who was constitutionally removed from power in April, last year, accused Bajwa of hiring the services of Husain Haqqani, former Pakistan‘s ambassador to the United States, for lobbying in the US.
Haqqani was accused of seeking US action against Pakistan‘s military through the so-called memo months after the US raid in Abbottabad in 2011 on Osama Bin Laden’s compound amid an increasing rift between the civilian and military leadership. He was accused of issuing visas to Americans without due process, bypassing relevant authorities, and embezzling funds, according to The News International.
Asked about his thoughts on returning to the parliament, Khan said that “there is no benefit” in returning to the National Assembly, The Express Tribune reported. “What will we do by going to the National Assembly, there is no benefit,” he said. “The ex-PM reiterated that transparent elections will bring stability to the country. “Let there be transparent elections in the country and make a sustainable government,” he maintained,” reported The Express Tribune.
Khan said that the establishment could play an important role in getting the country out of all crises. “Talking about the ruling coalition filing a vote of no confidence against Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, Imran claimed that “the establishment had asked our [PTI’s] three members of the Punjab Assembly to remain neutral for the vote of confidence”,” reported The Express Tribune.
Recently, Khan criticised the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government for “pushing the nation towards terror incidents.” He made the remarks during a consultative meeting attended by the party’s senior leadership and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s leader Moonis Elahi. “The imposed, corrupt and incompetent rulers are pushing the nation towards [terror] incidents,” The News International quoted Imran Khan as saying.
Imran Khan has often criticized Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on national security. His statement regarding terrorism comes at a time when Pakistan is witnessing increased terror attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. “Leaving national security at the mercy of [Asif] Zardari’s politically-immature son is criminal stupidity,” The News International quoted Khan as saying. (ANI)
