ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Friday he was not aware that the former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, was going to blame the country's army chief for manipulating the last general elections during his Gujranwala speech.
However, he maintained that Sharif would not have made such a claim without "solid evidence," adding that he was waiting for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) founder to present the proof to the public.
In an interview with BBC Urdu, the PPP leader said that no individual could be solely held responsible for bringing Prime Minister Imran Khan and his administration to power.
"As far as Mian Nawaz Sharif is concerned, he has remained [Pakistan's] prime minister three times," he continued. "I am certain that he would not have named [the top military and intelligence officials] without clear and solid evidence. It is not the kind of allegation that can be made against anyone in a public rally. The trouble is that I have not managed to directly meet Nawaz Sharif due to the COVID-19 pandemic which would have facilitated a detailed conversation over the issue."
In response to a question, he said that Sharif did not name the top military and intelligence officials during the multiparty conference that brought together various opposition factions in the country to form the anti-government Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance in September.
However, he acknowledged that the participants of the gathering discussed if they should single out any state institution for political criticism or keep their condemnation fairly general by excoriating the "establishment," saying that a consensus was reached over the latter option.
The PPP chairman claimed that he was "shocked" to hear Sharif's Gujranwala speech.
"It was a shock to me since we don't normally say such things in our public rallies," he explained. "But Mian Nawaz Sharif has his own political party, and I cannot control how he speaks, much like he cannot control what I say."
In the first PDM rally in Gujranwala, the PML-N leader blamed the country's powerful army chief for bringing an "incompetent" political administration to power. In his subsequent speeches, he also named the director general of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for playing a role in the country's politics.
Asked if the PDM thought such statements would mount enough pressure on these individuals to make them resign, the PPP chairman said the opposition alliance did not want the top army and intelligence officials to step down.
"Let me make this clear that such a demand is neither a part of our resolution nor our position," he said, adding that it was Sharif's right, however, to adopt any political position that he considered necessary.
In response to a question about the alleged "abduction" of the Sindh inspector general police, Bilawal said there had been no contact between him and the army chief again.
The province's top cop was reportedly taken away from his residence in Karachi by paramilitary personnel and forced to file a complaint against Sharif's son-in-law, Captain (r) Muhammad Safdar, for violating the sanctity of the country's founding father's mausoleum ahead of a PDM rally in the city.
Safdar, who was visiting Karachi on the invitation of the PPP provincial administration, was also arrested from his hotel room where he was staying with his wife.
The province's top police officials, however, protested the development by applying for paid leave.
"I know that there is an inquiry going on," said the PPP leader. "I am confident that the investigation will help identify the culprits and they will also be brought to justice. At this point, I am patiently waiting to hear about the findings of the probe."
Bilawal says he was 'shocked' by Nawaz Sharif's speech against Pakistan army chief
https://arab.news/7mq4a
Bilawal says he was 'shocked' by Nawaz Sharif's speech against Pakistan army chief
- The PML-N leader blamed the country’s powerful army chief for manipulating elections, bringing the PTI administration to power
- The PPP chairman says the opposition PDM alliance was not calling for Pakistan’s military and intelligence chiefs to step down
Peace can only prevail if Afghanistan renounces support for ‘terrorism’— Pakistan defense chief
- Pakistan’s chief of defense forces visits South Waziristan district bordering Afghanistan
- Pakistan says has killed 481 Afghan Taliban operatives since clashes began last Thursday
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said on Wednesday that peace with Afghanistan can only prevail if Kabul renounces support for “terrorism” and “terrorist” organizations, the military’s media wing said as the two countries remain locked in conflict.
Fighting between the two neighbors, the worst in decades, broke out last Thursday night after Afghan forces attacked Pakistan’s military installations along their shared border. Afghanistan said its attacks were in response to earlier airstrikes by Pakistan against alleged militant hideouts in its country.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of sheltering militant outfits such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on its soil who have launched attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces in recent years. Kabul denies the allegations.
Munir visited Wana town in Pakistan’s South Waziristan district to review the security situation and troops’ operational preparedness at the Afghan border, the Pakistani military’s media wing said in a statement.
“The Field Marshal reiterated that peace could only prevail between both sides if the Afghan Taliban renounced their support for terrorism and terrorist organizations,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The military chief said the use of Afghan soil by militant outfits to launch attacks against Pakistan was unacceptable, vowing that “all necessary measures” would be taken to neutralize cross-border threats.
During the visit, Munir was briefed by military commanders about ongoing intelligence-based operations and measures being taken by the military to manage the border with Afghanistan.
He was also briefed about “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq” or “Wrath for the Truth,” the name Pakistan has given to its military operation against Afghan forces, the ISPR said.
The Pakistani military chief spoke to troops deployed in the area, praising their vigilance, professional conduct and high morale, the ISPR said.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the military has killed 481 Taliban operatives, injured more than 690 and destroyed 226 Afghan checkposts since clashes began.
Arab News has been unable to verify claims by both sides about the damages they claim to have inflicted on each other.
Afghanistan has signaled it is open for dialogue but Pakistan rejected the offer, saying it would continue its military operations till its objectives were achieved.
Since the conflict began, diplomatic efforts have intensified with several countries, including global bodies such as the European Union and United Nations, urging restraint and calling for talks.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that Ankara would help reinstate a ceasefire, the Turkish Presidency said on Tuesday, as other countries that had offered to mediate have since been hit by the conflict in the Gulf.
