Imran, aides helping India in realising its design: Asif

KARACHI: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Monday PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his aides are becoming instrumental in fulfilling India’s resolve to weaken Pakistan through implosion.

Speaking in Geo News programme — ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’ — Asif termed Imran Khan’s Sunday speech second part of his aide Shahbaz Gill’s statement. Asif said India cannot fight Pakistan militarily, but Imran has created such circumstances that have rendered the country economically vulnerable.

When the programme host asked a narrative is in the making that would force the new army chief to do Imran’s bidding, the minister said this narrative would fail.

He said Imran is discriminating between the senior generals and is trying to give an impression that some of them are patriot and some are not, asking has Imran obtained the proprietorship of patriotism.

In fact, Asif said, Imran Khan’s patriotism has become questionable, as he has attempted to push the country towards default that is obvious from Provincial Minister’s audio leak. Asif said political narrative have to change in time, but Imran’s narrative to destroy Pak economy and create doubts about the defence forces.

The minister said Imran wants to drive the country towards default and create Sri Lanka-like crisis in Pakistan. Asif said that when Mohsin Leghari asked that wouldn’t a letter to the IMF harm the state, he was told to ignore that because their leader (Imran Khan) was being implicated in cases.

Asif said Imran’s narrative has forced the army and the judiciary to speak up. To a question about the army chief appointment, he said it would be made in consultation with the army as has been the practice. The new chief would be picked up from the top five names proposed by the army, he added.