ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former prime minister Imran Khan says the joint press conference by the chiefs of the country’s premier spy agency and media wing was full of “lies and half-truths”, asserting things were presented “out of context” in it.
Khan, who is currently leading a long march against the government towards Islamabad for the second time since his ouster in April this year, made the remarks during an interview with local and international media outlets.
Earlier this week, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum made a rare appearance in a press conference along with Pakistani military spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar on Thursday, a day before the start of the PTI’s long march.
Coming out of the shadows in an unprecedented move, the top spymaster revealed that indefinite extension was offered to Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa in March this year. He mentioned that he was an eyewitness to the offer made to the top general, revealing that the latter rejected it on the spot.
He, however, did not name anyone who had made the offer but at that time Imran Khan was serving as prime minister of the country and facing pressure from the-then opposition.
When the PTI chief was asked if he had made the lucrative offer to the army chief, Imran Khan said things had been taken out of context that he had offered extension for indefinite period.
“Did they reveal which side made the offer? In what context the discussion was held? If they share the whole story, they will have to face embarrassment,” Khan explained, adding that he could give suitable reply to the DG ISI’s statement but “I don’t want to harm our army”.
Khan was also asked about his statements about army chief and meetings held behind the closed doors. He said that the meetings were held in front of President Arif Alvi, adding that he just made a demand for early and fair elections in the country. He also called the whole presser “foolish” saying it was only him who was targeted in it.
Indefinite extension was offered to Army Chief in March this year, reveals DG ISI in rare presser
