No talks with Imran, his armed groups: Latif

LAHORE: The government is not engaged in any kind of backdoor talks with the PTI and it has been decided that Imran Khan will be made an example, said PMLN leader and Federal Minister Javed Latif while addressing a press conference at the party secretariat here on Wednesday.

Latif said a Fitna had arisen in Pakistan in the shape of Imran Khan, which was causing the country to suffer. “The prime minister has the authority to appoint the army chief and he will exercise it,” he said adding that Imran’s desire to appoint the new army chief will remain unfulfilled.

“If the country’s economy has sunk, if the angry friendly countries are trying to help Pakistan’s economy by investing heavily, it shows the Fitna has returned to the position of 2014,” said the minister.

“Imran Khan said if martial law was imposed in the country, then what difference it will make to him,” Latif said and maintained that Imran Khan tried to establish a presidential system and also defamed the country by stating that Pakistan had trained the Taliban. He said as prime minister, Imran Khan also said that hundreds of people, including Afia Siddiqui, were sold by institutions.

“Imran also said Pakistan’s nuclear assets were not in safe hands. How can a political leader ever imagine or give such statements?” Latif said Imran had gathered armed groups and was going to attack the capital and named it as an unarmed constitutional struggle. He said earlier Altaf Hussain used to talk openly against the institutions and presented the map of Jinnahpur and now Imran Khan was doing the same. He questioned how many times Imran Khan be given space.

“Today, India itself is saying give Imran Khan enough money so that he does not fail,” Javed Latif said and maintained that billions of rupees were being spent every day and alleged that 5,000 to 7,000 rupees per day were being paid to every boy and girl for participating in the long march.

He warned that the state will act like a state when this bloody march will reach Islamabad. He said the government will give Imran a surprise when he and armed men of Ali Amin Gandapur will reach Islamabad.

“Imran Khan wants to bring the army chief of his choice and for this he is ready to go to any extent,” Javed Latif said, adding that the armed groups could not be allowed to destroy the peace of the country as well as to blackmail the armed forces.

He accused Shahbaz Gill and Azam Swati of violence and said facts will be brought before the nation. “Listen to Justice Shaukat Siddiqui’s talk on how much one has to pay for justice. Let Nawaz Sharif’s punishment given by Saqib Nisar be set aside and then we will tell Imran Khan how we will confront him,” he said and added that there will be talks with the national leadership and parties, but there will be no blackmail or talks with Imran Khan and his armed groups.

Meanwhile, in another press conference, PMLN Leader Azma Bukhari said Imrani Fitna March had entered the sixth day adding that it was a fun long march where full ‘enjoyment’ was taking place. She said a worker fell from the container and died but it did not matter much to Imran.

“Imran Khan destroyed the country’s economy and tried to create a Sri Lanka like situation,” Azma said and maintained that that the PMLN chose the country over politics. Imran Khan was campaigning for Musharraf’s referendum when the martial law was imposed, she said, adding that if martial law came in the country, Imran would land in jail. She said the nation will pull the tongue out that sought martial law.