Imran Khan owes to Gen (r) Bajwa big time: PM Shehbaz

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Monday that former chief of army staff (COAS) Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa was the benefactor of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

Addressing a press conference alongside federal cabinet members, the prime minister said that Gen (r) Qamar Javed Bajwa was the benefactor of Imran Khan, but the former prime minister turned against the former army chief.

Answering a question about the former army chief, Shehbaz Sharif said that since General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa has hung up his boots, he should be allowed to live in peace.

PM Shehbaz Sharif hoped that the new COAS General Asim Munir would strengthen the institution according to the constitution and law.

Shehbaz said PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his “minions” took a “heartless” approach in the Daily Mail case.

وزیراعظم شہباز شریف اسلام آباد میں پریس کانفرنس کر رہے ہیں https://t.co/SfyxE9C3sT

— PMLN (@pmln_org) December 12, 2022

He noted that the unconditional apology by the Daily Mail was a vindication of the 220 million of Pakistan which also thwarted an anti-state conspiracy hatched by Imran Khan and his ‘cronies’.

The British publication also removed the article — “Did the family of Pakistani politician who has become the poster boy for British overseas aid STEAL funds meant for earthquake victims, asks David Rose” — written by David Rose from all platforms of Mail publishers.

“They thought that if this damaged Pakistan’s reputation, it won’t matter. They wanted to embarrass the Sharif family no matter what,” the prime minister said.

PM Shehbaz said from 2008-2018, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) provided 600 million pounds to Pakistan for flood affectees — and most of that amount was given to Punjab.

“That amount was spent in a transparent manner. They aimed to prove that Shehbaz’s children laundered millions of rupees abroad. This is a part of the article.”

PM Shehbaz Sharif said despite the passage of three years, Shahzad Akbar failed to produce documents to substantiate his allegations which also led to his vindication by the NCA.

On the contrary, PM Shehbaz said Imran sold the watch that Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman had gifted him when he was the prime minister. “This was a cheap move that Imran made by selling a watch that contained the image of Holy Kaaba,” he added.

“I do not use the word ‘fraud’, but this is what Imran did. The shop owner — whose receipts that PTI showed relating to the watch — has also clarified that it is not his handwriting on the receipt,” PM Shehbaz said.

The prime minister called for “introspection” to understand how did such a person rule Pakistan, who did not only commit “fraud”, but hurt Pakistan on two important fronts — foreign policy and economy.

The prime minister also noted that Daily Mail published an apology to him in one million printed copies last Sunday. “This is Daily Mail’s timeline. This was a huge conspiracy against Pakistan, but it was Allah’s mercy that it was proven wrong.”