PDM is an alliance of 11 political parties, formed after the opposition’s multiparty conference that seeks the ouster of Imran Khan government by launching a three-phased anti-government movement
WEB DESK
Former Pakistan prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif on Friday accused Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed of being behind his ouster as prime minister and named them as those who allegedly “brought Imran Khan into power”.
Nawaz, via video link from London, was addressing the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) first power show in Gujranwala where top opposition leaders gathered to take forward their anti-government protest.
The PDM is an alliance of 11 political parties, formed after the opposition’s multiparty conference on September 20, that seeks the PTI government’s ouster by launching a three-phased anti-government movement under an “action plan” starting from this month with countrywide public meetings, protest demonstrations and rallies in December and a “decisive long march” towards Islamabad in January 2021.
The protest campaign comes at a time when Pakistan is experiencing an economic crisis, with inflation touching double digits and negative growth.
His comments come less than a month after Bajwa and Lt Gen Hameed in a meeting with key opposition figures had asked them to refrain from dragging the military into political issues.
“Who made the state above a state? Who is responsible for the two governments in this country? Who is responsible for the state of the country? Who is responsibly for the unfairness towards Justice Qazi Faez Isa and his family? Who is responsible for […] silencing the media, for rigging and horse trading before elections, for kidnapping journalists, for Imran Khan’s government’s incompetence?” asked Nawaz, going on to name COAS Bajwa.
“You will have to answer; you are responsible Bajwa sahab,” said Nawaz. “You are responsible for ending my government […] for bringing in Imran Khan.”
Nawaz then accused Lt Gen Faiz Hameed of “carrying out” his ouster.
Nawaz blasted the PTI-led government for “failing to do its job” and said people were paying for its “incompetence”.
He questioned why a dictator despite being handed punishment by court was able to get away yet civilian leaders like himself were victimised.
“Why are elected prime ministers not allowed to complete their five-year term?
“We made so many strides in development,” he said talking about his tenure as premier, “but this government ruined everything.”
He also talked about being labelled a traitor and said this wasn’t the first time that dictators had used this term for civilian leaders to oust them “because they talk about the law and Constitution”.
“Who are patriots? The ones who destroyed the Constitution, who broke the country into two halves.”
He questioned why Retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa, who this week announced he was stepping down as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, was still not facing any cases for reportedly amassing assets beyond known sources of income.
Referring to allegations levelled regarding Bajwa’s family’s assets, Nawaz said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should have investigated the claims.
“How can he continue to work as chairman of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority?”
Nawaz repeated his accusation that NAB was one-sided and only goes after the opposition.
Big crowd
A number of politicians, including PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Asif, Khurram Dastagir and veteran politician Javed Hashmi, were present at the venue.
PML-N’s Abbasi, Asif, Aurangzeb, Dastagir and Ahsan Iqbal, Hashmi, Abdul Malik Baloch of the National Party, Mian Iftikhar Hussain of the Awami National Party and PPP’s Latif Khosa were among the politicians who addressed the crowd.
Time for PM Imran to go, says Bilawal
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the current government’s anxiety was before the nation. “Our workers are being harassed, FIRs are being lodged and leaders’ houses are being besieged,” he said while speaking to the media in Lala Musa, from where he was meant to lead a convoy to the venue in Gujranwala.
Bilawal said that despite the government’s best efforts it could not address pressing issues such as hunger and unemployment. “The whole country will see the rally in Gujranwala. The time for the selected prime minister to go is now here.”
Commenting on the convening of sessions of both houses of parliament, Bilawal called the government’s move a “joke”.