Elahi denounces Imran’s criticism of ex-COAS Bajwa

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LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Sunday denounced comments by Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan targeting the former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), the General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa.

“I was very offended when Imran Khan spoke out against General Retd Bajwa,” said Pervaiz Elahi, adding “Bajwa sahib is our benefactor and one should not speak against their benefactors.”

Read Gen Qamar was calling the shots, claims Imran

Speaking informally to journalists, the CM also felt that the former army chief had “done a lot” for the head of the PTI and that “the favors should not be forgotten”.

“If there are further talks against General (Retired) Bajwa, then my party and I will be the first to defend him,” he warned.

“General [retd] Faiz Hamid has committed many abuses”, he regretted, alleging that the former soldier had “tried to put us behind bars” and that he was “against us”.

Pervaiz Elahi also revealed that he raised the matter with ex-COAS when he was in office and that General (Retired) Faiz then informed that the alleged political persecution was ordered by Imran Khan.

“Imran Khan would not even let Moonis [Elahi] sit next to him,” he continued, “but we fully supported Imran despite that.”

“When Imran Khan told us to dissolve the [Punjab] Assembly, so we agreed right away,” he added, emphasizing that “we are not against Imran Khan or the PTI, we are with them; but we cannot bite the hand that feeds us”.

“General Bajwa conspired against my government”

The former prime minister, who was ousted in a parliamentary uprising earlier this year, while addressing a rally at the Liberty Chowk in Lahore yesterday, said former army chief General ( retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa was behind the plot to overthrow his government through the vote of no confidence.

“The question is who was responsible? A man was in charge and his name is Gen Bajwa. I didn’t used to take his name because he was the head of the army. We didn’t want the army to be blasphemed. We want a strong army. he said.

Read more Gen Qamar was calling the shots, claims Imran

Imran Khan said General Bajwa was behind the plot. “They [the establishment] thought Dar and Shehbaz were some kind of geniuses they would lead [the] government better than us,” he added.

After the fall of my government, Imran continued, the masses supported the PTI. “Our popularity increased again after the motion of no confidence. Despite all efforts, they lost the by-elections,” he added.

Addressing leaked audio featuring him, Imran said his phone was tapped when he was prime minister in violation of the Official Secrets Act. “Where is this happening? If I talk to my principal secretary, it has been leaked.

Imran claimed that according to an opinion poll, 70% of the population demanded new elections – a fact he had tried to convey during his second long march.

He then lambasted the incumbent leaders for what he said were atrocities against his party, saying that even during (retired) General Pervaiz Musharraf’s martial law, he had not witnessed such violence.

“They committed atrocities on us. They put me in jail under Musharraf but I never witnessed the violence I saw during that term,” he claimed.

Read also Imran and Elahi adrift on Bajwa’s role in distrust

Imran said their social media workers were singled out and after beating them were released the next day.

He said PTI leader Senator Azam Swati was stripped and beaten just because of a tweet. “All because of a tweet that contained some truth? Everyone knows that NRO-2 was donated by General Bajwa.”

Imran said that when he was prime minister he used to ask General Bajwa to take action against “thieves” because the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was under him. “He used to tell me to forget the responsibility and fix the economy. How can Pakistan progress if you let these dacoits escape at any cost? No society can progress until there is “There is no rule of law. The big thieves destroy a country, not the small ones,” he pointed out.

“As prime minister, I will tell the public how you have saved people,” he told attendees.

“Had a plot idea a year ago”

The former prime minister said he foresaw a plot being plotted against him a year ago before his execution and that Shehbaz’s name was coming up for the premiership despite him having corruption deals worth 16 billion rupees against his name.

Read also General Bajwa told us to support Imran, says Moonis Elahi

“Every time I asked General Bajwa, he said we will never do it [accountability] because we want continuity,” he said.

“General Bajwa used to say they were corrupt, but now he agrees with them. Are we cattle? Wherever you take us, we will go,” he added.

“When I left in March I had a threat to my life. I knew they would tag it [attempt at his life] than religious extremism. I salute Bushra Bibi who told me that it’s jihad and that you should go out. When I can walk, I’ll be on the street again. This is jihad for me and I will never stop,” Imran said.

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