ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar Sunday claimed former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa “facilitated” the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in the no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan, elaborating on that though in February 2022, “it was said that we are neutral, the institution is still not neutral.”
“It is so obvious, evidence of the no-confidence motion has been coming out,” Mustafa Khokar said during a TV interview on Sunday.
Commented on Gen Bajwa’s extension as the army chief during PTI’s govt, the former PPP stalwart said that historic legislation was carried out within 12 minutes to extend the tenure, saying the establishment had influenced the extension.
Khokhar further stated that all factions of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) were being brought together, claiming that its own leaders were saying that the establishment had a role in bringing them together.
He said Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi had revealed that he was asked to join the PTI. He said that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had withdrawn his statement made at the Asma Jahangir Conference under pressure.
“The way cameras were installed at the time of the no-confidence motion in the Senate was not the work of any ordinary person. The procedure to make Yusuf Raza Gilani the leader of the opposition was not correct,” he added.
Khokhar announced parting ways with PPP — a month after stepping down as a senator — due to differences between him and the party leadership over his stance on the government’s policies.
“I wish the best for Peoples Party. I feel honoured to serve as a member of the party, but I am no longer its part anymore,” Khokhar — who has served as PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s spokesperson — said during Geo News’ programme “Naya Pakistan”.
Khokhar formally resigned as a senator on November 10 and at that time stressed that he would try hard to maintain his “independence”.
He resigned after it emerged that the party was unhappy with his political position. Khokhar was critical of the government since its inception. He also refrained from becoming a state minister in April.
In a series of tweets in November, Khokhar said he met a senior leader from the party, who told him that the party leadership “wasn’t happy with my political positions and wanted my resignation from the Senate”.
“I gladly agreed to resign […] will be submitting my resignation in person to Chairman Senate tomorrow, Insha[A]llah,” Bilawal’s former spokesman said.
