Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Wednesday slammed the government for shifting blame over rising terrorism and berating his party for its policy towards the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP).
\nThe government has claimed it was the PTI government’s policy to negotiate with the TTP that eventually led to the outlawed group’s strengthening in the country.
\nIn November last year, the TTP ended its ceasefire and increased attacks \u2014 majorly on security forces \u2014 especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the government and armed forces vowing to fight back.
\nWhile there were sporadic attacks over the recent months across the country, Monday’s suicide blast in Peshawar’s Police Lines area mosque \u2014 that killed at least 100 people and injured over 200 \u2014 shook the nation, leading to severe flak on the incumbent government and its responsory criticism on the PTI.
\n“I am not in power anymore. Had I been in the government, then I would have been answerable,” the PTI chief hit out at the centre during his address to the nation, while also claiming that terrorism was under control during his tenure.
\nThe PTI chief, while also mentioning that he wasn’t responsible for terrorism and rising inflation, said that he was devastated over the attack in Peshawar.
\nKhan \u2014 who was ousted from the government in April last year through a no-confidence motion \u2014 said those in power, and who ruled for 30 years before him, were responsible for the ongoing crisis.
\n“I feared instability in Afghanistan […] 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.”
\nThe PTI chief then added that as he feared instability, his government tried to negotiate with the group to ensure that Afghanistan’s fallout does not affect Pakistan.
\nKhan claimed that had the coalition parties not removed his party from power, then the situation would have been completely different. “Why did they remove my government when they could not run the country?”
\nThe PTI chairman added that the incumbent rulers’ only reason for coming into power was to get their corruption cases worth Rs1,100 billion “closed”.
\nKhan added that his relationship with former army chief General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa was smooth, and they were on the same page for some time.
\nBut then, Khan mentioned, that after the ex-army chief was granted an extension in his tenure in 2019, he wanted the PTI government to forgive the cases against then-opposition leaders. “I did not listen to him.”
\nThe second bone of contention, he said, was the removal of Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid Inter-Services Intelligence chief. “There was a fear of war in Afghanistan which is why I wanted Faiz Hamid to retain his position.
\nMoving on, Khan said that when Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari goes to court against him, he will be asked what “reputation” was damaged.
\nPPP earlier his week sent a Rs10 billion legal notice to the PTI chairman for levelling \u201cbaseless allegations\u201d against its co-chairperson. Khan had blamed Zardari for plotting to have him assassinated.
\n“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,” he said.
\nKhan said that he has “solid information” about Zardari’s alleged plot to have him killed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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