KARACHI: The PMLN gave a blank cheque to the army by allowing an extension to former COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and there was no give-and-take on that. This was stated by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif while talking to Geo News on Friday.
Khawaja Asif said the PMLN leadership in London allowed that an extension be given to the former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa which was a blank cheque to the military institution as the party did not strike any deal with the army. “We did not ask for anything in return.” PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif had directed the party to vote for the extension, he said.
He said we were a majority party in Punjab in the wake of 2018 elections and despite that PTI formed a provincial government — that led to a strong reaction. The Defence Minister said that government was cobbled together by forging alliances and it was not delivering and we thought the wrong could be corrected. It was against that backdrop that we thought of forming the provincial government in 2019.
He said martial law is the result of a breakdown of ties between the army and the political leadership. In the last few years, there was always a danger of martial law because of bad relations between the two.
He said, “while I was serving the prison term a non-political personality approached me saying there was my name and that of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the next prime minister. We were told that the PMLN leadership would have to wait for some time. Asif said he does know where this offer originated from but he said he told them that he wasn’t interested but would have no objection if Khaqan Abbasi was ready for it.”
Regarding Shabbar Zaidi’s interview, the defence minister said he is absolutely right that if the PTI government had continued it would have led to the country into default. He claimed that Sajjad Burki who happens to be Imran Khan’s relative campaigned against the IMF agreement with Pakistan. Asif said the PTI leadership is not sincere with Pakistan and that was manifested in May 9 attacks on military installations and properties.
Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the case
Naveed Meher is accused of firing shots at PTI's long march passing through Wazirabad
Ministry of Defence representative informed court that Panjotha was not in custody of intelligence agencies
He added that monthly follow-up should be made to ensure speedy progress on the issue
I regretfully find myself unable to endorse the reasoning,” Justice Rizvi noted
Government also ruled out the possibility of tax exemption to banks on advance to-deposit ratio
