SIALKOT: Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief was mastermind, planner and inventor of all May 9 incidents. Addressing dinner reception, given in his honour by members of Cantt Board Sialkot, he regretted that it was former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan who challenged state writ and state institutions.

He said that state is like mother to its citizens, but this person ended that relationship in lust for power. He said that lesson he (PTI Chief) imparted to his party activists and planning he done, resulted in attacks on memorials of martyrs and military installations and defense assets, saying that political workers were incited by their leader to attack state and its institutions.

Khawaja Asif said what happened on May 9, no one should doubt that its mastermind, planner and its creator was PTI Chairman alone.

He said that during last 14 months, PTI Chief did not even once asked to meet or sit down with politicians to solve national problems. He only expressed his desire to talk to military leadership.

Defence Minister said Pakistan Army is guarantor of country’s defence and integrity. He said that power was taken away from politicians many times in past; power was taken away from Nawaz Sharif three times, while Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged, but no one challenged state writ. Rather, they waited for elections for years and came to power with power of vote, he added.

He said that PTI Chief did not speak truth before coming into power or after getting power. He said that today, whole of Pakistan was paying price of this person’s wrong decisions.

If this person had not resigned from assemblies and not dissolved KP and Punjab Assemblies, neither he nor his party would have confronted current challenges. He said “We are thankful to Allah for honouring us and giving us government for last 14 months. “We are trying to fix economic and moral ruins that we inherited,” he added.

Published in The Daily National Courier, June, 27 2023

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