Islamabad (Web Desk): Minister for Defence, Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Friday slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan for seeking help from the American government after accusing it of conspiracy against him.
Addressing a news conference with the foreign media flanked by the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb, the defence minister briefed the foreign correspondents on the so-called PTI narrative and subversions of the constitution.
The minister said a lot had happened over the last year in the political journey of the opposition.
Imran Khan's political journey started with a cipher, in which he had accused the US of conspiring against the PTI government," Khawaja Asif said.
"Today Shireen Mazari has written a letter to the US raising the issue of so-called human rights violations in Pakistan," he said.
This is the same country which was accused of conspiracy against Pakistan and Imran Khan’s government.
He said that this is the same people are asking for help from the alleged perpetrators of the foreign conspiracy.
This is the sum total of Imran Khan’s political journey. His dismissal from the government and SOS to the US,” he said.
The minister said Imran Khan is a desperate man and believes in violence, which he demonstrated during the last week, which never happened even in the history of Pakistan.
He said during the past few days, the constitution was undermined and violated. He said we are handling the crisis precipitated by Imran Khan on daily basis.
Khawaja Asif said, “We assumed this govt almost a year back. We are completing one year in power as a result of the successful vote of no confidence against the then government.”
"To prevent that vote of no confidence different unconstitutional actions were taken by Imran Khan's government and his collaborators were the President and then Deputy Speaker."
The minister added that around midnight the decisions of dissolution of the assembly and other decisions were overturned by the Supreme Court (SC).
"That fateful night the constitution was undermined and violated and thankfully SC intervened and set things right and we are in the government today," he added.
The minister said that the government was ready to hold a comprehensive dialogue with the Pakistan PTI for the sake of the country’s prosperity and national interest.
The government would not oblige by entering into any transactional dialogue with the opposition, as nothing would come out of it, he said.
Khawaj Asif expressed the confidence that the government would come out of the prevailing situation successfully including from the economic front.
Regarding allegations of Imran Khan being levelled on some personalities about killing him, the Defence Minister said these are baseless with no reality.
Responding to another question, he said holding elections is sole responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
"However, the security situation in the country has deteriorated and the finance ministry has not enough funds to hold elections separately. So, the electoral body decided to hold the elections in Octobe," the minister said.
Responding to a question regarding the recent statements by former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation about Pakistan's internal politics and in favour of the PTI Chief, the defence minister said said that Zalmay Khalilzad should have also spoken about grim human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Palestine and also about the Afghan refugees, who have been hosted by Pakistan for the past many decades and about their repatriation as well.
