Imran Khan says was on one page with Bajwa till NRO demand

LAHORE: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has asserted that he was on same page with former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, till the later demanded an NRO for the ‘political opponents’, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference via video link, the former premier said that the then-government and Establishment were on the same page during the coronavirus pandemic and the “world lauded our policies’.

Imran Khan said that the ties with Gen Bajwa strained when the latter demanded an NRO for the ‘political opponents’. “The former army chief was against the accountability drive as he demanded an NRO and changes in National Accountability Bureau (NAB),” he alleged.

The former prime minister noted that his whole struggle was for the supremacy of law and justice. He claimed that his relations with Gen Bajwa were further strained over the removal of retd Lt Gen Faiz Hameed as Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

“I wanted Gen Faiz to heat the ISI at the time of US withdrawal from Afghanistan,” Imran Khan said, adding that the former ISI chief had more ‘experience than anyone’.

‘Peshawar blast’

Imran Khan also expressed deep sorrow over the suicide blast at a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines, lambasting the government for shifting blame over rising terrorism and berating his party for its policy towards TTP.

“I am not answerable as I am not in power anymore,” the PTI chief said, adding that terrorism was under control during his tenure. He mentioned that that he wasn’t responsible for terrorism and rising inflation.

The PTI chairman claimed that those in power, and who ruled for 30 years before him, were responsible for the ongoing crisis.

“There were 30,000-40,000 fighters in Afghanistan. Then, a decision was taken by the parliament members and the armed forces that these fighters would be settled in Pakistan,” he noted.

Imran added that as he feared instability, his government tried to negotiate with the TTP to ensure that Afghanistan’s fallout does not affect Pakistan. He claimed that had the coalition parties not removed his party from power, then the situation would have been completely different.

Asif Ali Zardari

During the presser today, the former premier said that when Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari goes to court against him, he will be asked what “reputation” was damaged.

Imran Khan said that he stands by his remarks against the former president, adding: “Asif Zardari will have to take an oath and inform the court about how many people he had murdered. I want Zardari to ensure that he goes to court against me.”

The PTI chief further said that he has “solid information” about Asif Zardari’s alleged plot to have him killed.

It is pertinent to mention here that Imran Khan alleged that former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari was among four people who were planning to kill him, ARY News reported on Friday.

Imran Khan accused Zardari of being involved in the assassination attempt, saying that the former president was among four people who were planning to kill him.

“Zardari has given Sindh government’s money to a terrorist organization to assassinate me,” the PTI chief alleged, adding that they were using Sindh government’s ‘looted money’ against him.

He further said, “They think that the only way to get me out of the way is actually to eliminate,” believing that efforts were underway to save those ‘four people’.

It is pertinent to mention here that Imran Khan and several other PTI leaders were wounded in an assassination attempt after a man opened fire near the PTI reception camp in Wazirabad during party’s long march.