Khawaja Asif Says Faiz Hameed, Gen Bajwa Tried to Convince Lawmakers to Bring Militants Back to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed that former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed and former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa had attempted to convince lawmakers that bringing militants back to Pakistan would be beneficial.
Speaking during a session of the National Assembly, the defence minister criticised what he described as contradictions between political leaders’ present statements and their past actions, urging them to examine their own records before making arguments about the country’s current situation.
“I remember General Faiz and General Bajwa sitting here, trying to convince us that bringing these terrorists back would be beneficial,” Asif said.
He added that the country’s problems would not be resolved unless political leaders maintained consistency between their words and actions.
Taking a swipe at former prime minister Imran Khan, the defence minister said that the praise Khan had showered on former army chief General Bajwa was greater than the compliments traditionally offered by entertainers at wedding ceremonies.
Asif also referred to his own experience in prison, saying he had been given only one blanket and was denied another when he requested it. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later sent him an additional blanket after learning about his situation.
The minister urged political opponents to consider past events before criticising others over prison conditions and the treatment of political prisoners. He recalled being held in a small cell measuring approximately six by four feet at Attock Jail.
Asif said his party had never made the release of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif or Shehbaz Sharif a political issue in the same manner that the opposition had focused on the release of a particular individual.
He maintained that terrorism remained the government’s primary concern and alleged that the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been more focused on political considerations than addressing security challenges.
The defence minister also alleged that the provincial chief minister was seeking to secure his political position and had been taking direction from an individual based in Afghanistan.
Asif further said that his party had not staged demonstrations involving the creation of symbolic graves at D-Chowk or held mourning protests inside parliament. He also accused the opposition of being responsible for the deaths of law enforcement personnel, allegations that were not independently substantiated in his remarks.
Emphasising the need for national unity, the minister said the fight against terrorism was a battle that all political parties and institutions needed to confront together.
He raised questions about mining and health-sector contracts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and criticised the provincial government’s performance, arguing that the province had suffered serious administrative setbacks over the past 14 years.
Asif said the circumstances indicated that the government had no option other than considering emergency measures in the province. He also urged lawmakers to remain truthful while speaking in the National Assembly.
His remarks came amid heightened political tensions over security challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and debate surrounding the possibility of imposing emergency measures in the province.
