ISLAMABAD - Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan on Thursday accused former chief of army staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa for playing a major role in toppling his government only to get a second-term extension in his tenure.
“The statement of (Defence Minister) Khawaja Muhammad Asif that Gen Bajwa wanted another extension is an endorsement of my stance,” former prime minister Khan said while talking to reporters during a court hearing at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
He also claimed that former Gen Bajwa had got removed then Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed on the desire of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his elder brother as well as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif. “At that time, I had exchanged hot words with Gen Bajwa over this issue,” he added.
Gen Hameed has been taken into military custody and proceedings of field general court martial have been initiated against him, the media wing of Pakistan Army had announced earlier this week.
PTI chief Khan declared former director general of ISI Gen Hameed as “an asset that has been wasted” and said he as prime minister did not want to remove him because of his engagement with the Afghan Taliban led present regime in Kabul. He said Gen Hameed enjoyed good relations with the Taliban and had been talking to them for three years. He remarked that it was a golden period to end terrorism in Pakistan.
“I kept on advising Gen Bajwa again and again not to remove Gen Hameed,” he said, adding that the former army chief acted otherwise and ISI was tasked to go after his party – PTI. He said his government was blamed for negotiating with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), questioning why there was an ongoing cross border terrorism when the present rulers have an opposite policy than this. He accused former army chief Gen Bajwa for the present bad law and order situation of the country.
Ex-premier Khan said that Intelligence Bureau (IB), the civilian intelligence agency of the country, had reported to his government that incumbent Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan was very close to Gen Bajwa and used to sit in his company every time.
Talking about May 9 riots, the PTI founder said these violent incidents started with his arrest and questioned why an inquiry into the matter is not being held. “A probe should be held if Gen Hameed is accused of orchestrating these violent incidents,” he said and called May 9 mayhem as part of so-called “London Plan. He reiterated his demand that CCTV footage of this violence should be brought on record to ascertain the role of culprits. “He who ordered my arrest is actually involved in the May 9 conspiracy.”
He alleged that Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court Aamer Farooq and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja were part of the London Plan. He further accused CJP Isa and CEC Raja of making efforts to cover up the mandate theft carried out in the February 8 election.
Khan noted that the government wanted to snatch the reserved seats from PTI only to make a constitutional amendment, which would be another violation of the Constitution. “I would soon give a call of protest,” he added.