Imran Khan blames Gen Bajwa for ‘pushing Pakistan into crises’

KARACHI: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has blamed former chief of army staff (COAS) Gen retd Qamar Javed Bajwa for ‘pushing Pakistan into crises’, ARY News reported on Sunday.  

The former premier made these remarks while addressing a women’s convention of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Karachi via video link from his residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park.

Imran Khan said that Gen Bajwa was solely responsible for pushing Pakistan into the mess it is in today, reiterating that he had sent Shaukat Tarin with a message that country’s economy would not be handled if political instability was created at that time.

“We all know who was the one whose decision pushed Pakistan into crisis,” he said, adding that he had predicted this ‘instability’ seven months ago.

The PTI chief lambasted the Sharif and Zardari families for ‘ruining’ the country’s economy, saying that Pakistan stopped developing when these two families made a partnership in the 90s.

Imran Khan further said that the country’s future was connected with his party’s struggle. “The two major political parties, who were in power for 30 years, are now coalition partners,” he said, adding that the people were now seeing towards PTI.

“All development of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government is in advertisements or propaganda,” he said, urging the people of Pakistan to support his party for driving the country out of the crises.

The former prime minister also said that PTI was the only party in the country that can drive it out of prevailing crises. “We have started deliberating on war-footing steps to rescue Pakistan when we next come into power,” he added.

He reiterated that no transparent elections would be held if political engineering is carried out. “Efforts were being made to weaken Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP),” he said, adding that a government formed against the will of people will not be able to resolve mammoth problems faced by the country.

Read More: Imran Khan admits extending Gen Bajwa’s tenure was a ‘mistake’

Earlier, Imran Khan said that former chief of army staff (COAS) Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa was solely responsible for ouster of his government.

In an interview with an international media outlet, the former premier accused Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa of being responsible for ouster of PTI-led federal government and economic and political crises in the country.

Imran Khan further claimed that the former COAS was pulling strings of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). “It was Gen Bajwa who gave NRO II to the then opposition without my consent,” he added.

In response to a question, the PTI chief said he was clueless about United States (US) involvement in ousting his government. “I wanted an investigation into cypher to seek answers in this regard,” he added.