Gen Bajwa was Imran Khan’s benefactor: PM Shehbaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has asserted that former chief of army staff (COAS) Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa was the benefactor of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, ARY News reported on Monday.

Addressing a press conference alongside Federal Cabinet members, the prime minister said that Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa was the benefactor of Imran Khan, but the former premier turned against the former army chief.

In response to a question about the former army chief, the prime minister said that since General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa has hung up his boots, he should be allowed to live in peace.

Speaking of new COAS General Asim Munir, PM Shehbaz Sharif hoped that the new army chief will strengthen the institution according to the constitution and law, terming the latter’s future ‘bright’.

The prime minister also criticised the PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other party members over “heartless” approach when they got involved with British publication Daily Mail.

He noted that the unconditional apology by the Daily Mail was a vindication of the 220 million of Pakistan which also thwarted an anti-state conspiracy hatched by Imran Khan and his ‘cronies’.

“Finally, after three years, the publication tendered an apology, not from me but all of you. It was an apology from 220 million of Pakistan and from millions of those mothers and children who were benefiting from DIFD projects to support their food and health,” the prime minister added.

Apprising the media of the allegations leveled by the previous government through the Daily Mail article, the prime minister claimed the onslaught was only meant to defame him, Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

“He [Imran Khan] was so callous to never think that it will not only malign Nawaz Sharif or Shehbaz Sharif rather it will hurt Pakistan’s reputation,” he remarked. The newspaper also published its apology in Sunday’s print edition, he added.

He told the media that DFID project’s amount of 600 million pounds was spent transparently and the allegations were also contradicted by the DFID itself. “Consequently, the country was mocked and a message was conveyed that Pakistan should not be given aid or grant,” he added.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said despite the passage of three years, Shahzad Akbar failed to produce documents to substantiate his allegations which also led to his vindication by the NCA.

On the contrary, PM Shehbaz said Imran sold the watch that Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman had gifted him when he was the prime minister. “This was a cheap move that Imran made by selling a watch that contained the image of Holy Kaaba,” he added.

However, he said, he won’t use the word fraud, but this is what Imran Khan did. The prime minister claimed that the PTI Chairman did not only commit “fraud”, but hurt Pakistan on two important fronts — foreign policy and economy.

The prime minister told the media that the incumbent government inherited a shaken economy and that they had to beseech the IMF which was not ready to trust Pakistan after the previous government deviated from the commitments.

He said by passing the burden of the oil price surge to the masses, the incumbent government sacrificed its politics in the state’s interest as the previous government had laid a trap for their government by announcing no price hike.

He claimed during the last days of his tenure, the former prime minister laid landmines for the upcoming government by not passing on the burden of petroleum prices to the consumers.

In response to a question about recent shelling by Afghan forces – which killed six civilians, the prime minister said he has summoned a meeting on Pak-Afghan border issue, hoping that Afghanistan should ensure such actions are not repeated.