ISLAMABAD: Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Saturday said that under relevant procedure and laws, the appointment of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) was a prerogative of the incumbent prime minister whereas Imran Khan was trying to make the whole process controversial, which would not be allowed.
Addressing a news conference here, the foreign minister said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief wanted to link his politics with the appointment process of the new army chief.
Imran Khan thought about himself only and did not care for the entire country suffering from the consequences of his petty politics, Bilawal regretted.
“Why did you choose Rawalpindi? Khan sahib let this decision (appointment of COAS) happen,” he said and suggested to PTI’s chief to postpone his long march for the time being.
The foreign minister said the previous PTI’s government had damaged country’s foreign policy, economy and democratic set up and now Imran Khan only wanted to create political instability which would be strongly resisted.
He said that during International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement, Imran Khan had attacked Islamabad, which was foiled. Now all the democratic forces in the country were united and the PTI chief would not be allowed playing such like past tactics, he added.
The country and its people could no longer bear any crises, he maintained. The foreign minister said peaceful demonstration was a democratic right, but no unconstitutional or undemocratic tactics could be allowed and reiterated that Pakistan Peoples Party would play its democratic role as it had manifested in the past by resisting all the undemocratic moves.
“Khan sahib wants to stop institutions playing their democratic role. He wants to make undemocratic moves, but we will not allow him,” he said and added that the parliamentary parties had played a very democratic role to oust the government of Imran Khan through a vote of no confidence.
The foreign minister said that Imran Khan had always carried out his politics on the shoulders of undemocratic forces. He said the future of a politician like Imran Khan was linked with making institutions controversial.
If Imran Khan wanted real freedom, then why did he wait for this week for his political objectives? the foreign minister questioned. Bilawal said the appointment of the new army chief was an administrative decision and its completion would end the politics of Imran Khan.
Bilawal said the entire world was facing economic disaster due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Imran Khan’s decisions had damaged Pakistan’s ties with the countries in the Middle East, Europe and the US, he added.
