Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan’s strong ‘establishment’ gave him three options to end the ongoing political turmoil in the country; face no-trust vote in parliament, hold fresh elections or step down.
“I said early election is the best option… I could never think of resigning… and for no-trust motion I believe that I will fight till the last minute,” the premier remarked.
Prime Minister Imran also claimed that he knew that a “foreign conspiracy” was being hatched in London to topple his government since August last year.
“This game started in August [last year]… I received reports about people frequently visiting London from here [Pakistan]… and [also received] reports from agencies,” the premier said.
He also alleged that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who has been living in London since 2019 for medical treatment, was plotting against his government.
“He [Nawaz] was frequently holding meetings with individuals who are against military and held last meeting with Hussain Haqqani on March 3,” Imran Khan claimed.
While responding to a question, PM Imran rubbished the rumours that he was mulling to de-notify army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and added that it was a “propaganda spread by PML-N”.
“I can never think of doing anything which is detrimental to our armed forces… our country needs a strong military.”
PM Imran said he will never speak against the country’s military. “Despite the issues, I will never discuss them publicly because Pakistan needs a strong army and we should not do anything which causes harms to [military],” he remarked.
Speaking about the reported impasse over new spy chief’s appointment in October last year, PM Imran admitted that he wanted General Faiz Hameed to continue as DG ISI till winter amid fears of civil war in Afghanistan.
“He [General Qamar] had a different view in this regard while I was thinking as the chief executive of the country,” said the premier while dispelling the impression that his approach was based on “favouritism”.
PM Imran said he had so far not thought about giving extension to the incumbent army chief or appointing a new military head.
When asked if he still enjoyed cordial ties with the military chief, the premier said, “The relations are fine”.
Yesterday, PM Imran had said he was paying the price in the shape of a “foreign conspiracy hatched by the United States” to topple the incumbent government through the opposition’s no-confidence motion for pursuing an “independent foreign policy”.
In an address to the nation, he stated that on March 7 the government received a message from a foreign country through Pakistan’s ambassador there, which said that “they would pardon Pakistan’s all misgivings if Imran Khan was ousted. If happened otherwise, Pakistan would have to face difficulties”.
His administration late on Thursday night lodged a formal protest with the US over a threatening letter that warned of dire consequences if the opposition’s no-confidence motion against PM Imran failed.
The acting US envoy in Islamabad was summoned to the Foreign Ministry over the “threatening” letter, hours after the country’s top decision-making body on national security voiced concerns over the issue during a meeting chaired by the premier.
PM Imran, in today’s interview’ said his life was in danger because his opponents “know that I will not back down or sit quietly”.
The prime minister said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari after coming into power will abolish the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to end the accountability drive launched against them by his administration.
“No one has harmed the country as much as Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari and they both wreaked havoc in Pakistan… come what may I will not give them NRO [deal],” he added.
PM Imran said that Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam publicly spoke against military. “But I will never speak against the army because our country needs strong military otherwise it will be disintegrated.”
