Defence Minister Khawaja Asif slammed PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Friday for \u201cflirting\u201d with the American government after accusing it of conspiracy and claimed that the former prime minister\u2019s \u201ccult following would soon fizzle out\u201d.
\nThe minister passed these remarks during a conversation with foreign media correspondents in Islamabad today. The interaction comes as Pakistan grapples with multiple crises on the political and economical front.
\nAsif began the press conference by pointing out the \u201chypocrisy\u201d of the incumbent setup\u2019s arch-rival Imran. \u201cHis political journey started with a cypher \u2014 in which he had accused the US of conspiring against the PTI government.
\n\u201cAnd today, Shireen Mazari has written a letter to the US for him [\u2026] the country he once accused of conspiracy \u2026 he is now seeking help from them,\u201d he stated.
\nAsif claimed that the series of events that have taken place after the vote of no-confidence \u201cshows the total sum of Imran\u2019s journey \u2014 his dismissal from the government and now his SOS to the US for help\u201d.
\nHe stated that Imran\u2019s lies had surfaced in front of everyone during the past few years. \u201cHe was accusing the US of conspiring against him, even taking names, but now he is once again flirting with the American government through lobbyists and approaching them for some sort of aid and help.\u201d
\n\u201cHis utterances are completely irrational \u2026 perhaps his followers do believe him but most people have lost track of whatever he says,\u201d the minister said, referring to Imran\u2019s supporters as \u201ccult followers\u201d.
\nIn response to a question, the minister stated that for the past year, the government had been trying to reach a consensus on economic policies but the offers were rejected.
\n\u201cHe has offered to talk to the military leadership several times, but not the political leadership. Despite the fact that the present government was willing to talk on so many occasions, Imran kept on insisting and went to the extent of trying to approach the present leadership of the Pakistan Army.\u201d
\nBefore that, Asif went on to say, the PTI chief approached former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa multiple times through the president and even offered him an extension.
\n\u201cDespite all his claims, Imran has not materially offered anything to the present government for dialogue,\u201d he pointed out.
\nAsif also said that the government was \u201cready to talk for the sake of peace in the country\u201d, highlighting that consensus was needed on major issues that Pakistan has been facing for the last few years.
\nThe minister elaborated that \u201cwe are not in favour of a transactional dialogue [but] need something which is comprehensive, which covers everything\u201d.
\nOn the matter of the Punjab polls \u2014 originally scheduled for April 30 \u2014 being delayed by more than five months to Oct 8, Asif said that the decision has been taken by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which is the \u201cbody empowered to hold elections according to the Constitution\u201d.
\nExplaining the reasons the ECP has given for its decision, he highlighted the country\u2019s \u201cdeteriorated\u201d security situation and \u201ctough\u201d economic times.
\n\u201cSince February, in the last one month or couple of months, the security situation has definitely deteriorated,\u201d the minister acknowledged.
\nRegarding the funding issues, he said, \u201cI am aware of the fact that the ministry of finance has said that under the present circumstances, we are going through some very tough times [\u2026] so we won\u2019t be able to provide funds for these elections, which if you hold now on 30th of April and then in October, so you are providing funds for elections twice in a year.\u201d
\nAsif then mentioned the unavailability of adequate security for the polling stations: \u201cThe commitment that our army has at the moment for the internal and external threats, they\u2019ve said that [\u2026] it takes almost a month for the deployment of forces to the polling stations, especially the static duty \u2014 they have to take over the polling stations.\u201d
\nReferring to the events of the last few weeks, particularly the ex-premier\u2019s appearance at the Federal Judicial Complex on March 18, Asif stated that nowhere in the world were such scenes witnessed that an accused had refused to appear before the court.
\n\u201cAnd when he appears before the court, his attendance is marked while he is sitting in his car, his supporters mob the courts and intimidate them [\u2026] they (the courts) come under pressure and face threats.\u201d
\nOn the other hand, he continued, when the police were sent to Imran\u2019s residence for arrests, officials were attacked with slings, petrol bombs, stones and sticks.
\n\u201cThis has never happened in Pakistan before. Even during Imran\u2019s regime, and in the past too, opposition leaders were arrested and they surrendered in a dignified manner.
\n\u201cWhatever victimisation took place, they never physically contested their arrest, never abused or maligned the courts,\u201d the minister stressed.
\nHe recalled that during the PTI government\u2019s tenure, the entire leadership of the PML-N was put behind bars, but such resistance was not seen.
\n\u201cI was picked up from the Embassy road and jailed for almost six months. It has been almost three years but my wife still appears in court. The victimisation of the opposition [during Imran\u2019s government] was unprecedented.\u201d
\nHowever, he contended that the coalition government never opted for such tactics, nor has it violated the law or the Constitution at any point.
\nAsif further pointed out that the coalition was governing the country under circumstances that were very different \u2014 administratively, financially and politically\u201c.
\n\u201cWe do realise that the political capital that we had when we took over or when we moved towards the no-confidence movement has depleted and we have paid that cost.
\n\u201cWe had the option to dissolve the assemblies and announce elections, but we were in the middle of negotiating with the IMF (International Monetary Fund). An interim government perhaps could not do that as effectively as an empowered and elected government in power could,\u201d he added.
\nAsif revealed that the government was handling crises every day, which he said were precipitated by Imran, and hoped that they would emerge out of them successfully.
\nAt one point during the press conference, the minister also warned that if Imran or his followers resorted to violence again, they would be countered by the state\u2019s writ and power.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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