KARACHI: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that former Army Chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa threatened him that he would hold a press conference against him.
This revelation was made by a senior cabinet member of the Shehbaz Sharif government while talking to Shahzeb Khanzada on Geo News. Khawaja Asif confirmed this when the anchor asked him if he had received any threats from the former army chief before.
Khawaja Asif said that former Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa had threatened him earlier and said, “He would hold a press conference against me, on which I said do whatever you have to do.”
The matter came under discussion when Defense Minister Khawaja Asif demanded to summon former Army Chief and DGISI Faiz Hameed to the National Assembly over his policy of allowing the return of the Taliban.
Khawaja Asif said that no one was insulted by asking former generals to be called for a briefing on the previous government’s policy. “Two or three years ago we were briefed that if the Taliban were allowed to return to Pakistan, a new era would begin,” he said by adding, “There will be peace and brotherhood. We are presented with a different picture but look at what is happening in the country.”
The defense minister denied receiving any directive from the party in this regard and said that no one should be offended by their demand. If anyone is suffering, I would say, let him go.”
He said that the issue of election rigging is a political issue, if PTI wants to audit, start from 2018.
Meanwhile, Law Minister Nazir Tarar said that ex-military officials cannot be summoned as none other than elected members can come to the floor of the House.
Speaking on Geo News program Capital Talk, Tarr said that Bajwa and Faiz might be asked to appear before the Standing Committees.
