Khawaja Asif taunts PTI for ‘begging’ establishment for talks

Accusing former prime minister and ex-PTI chairman Imran Khan of trying to incite rebellion in the Pakistan Army by masterminding the May 9 incidents of violence, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Saturday it was ironical that those very people who used to hit out at the establishment were now imploring it for talks, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Addressing a press conference at Sialkot, he said that never ever in the country’s history had any political party crossed the Red Line, which the PTI did on May 9.

He said now the PTI leaders said they would not talk to anybody short of the army chief and the ISI DG. “The party, whose workers used to chant slogans, ‘Ghulami Na Manzoor’, has now even formed a three-member committee for the purpose,” Asif said, adding that if talks were to be held, then all stakeholders should be invited.

The defence minister was of the view that military installations and government buildings were attacked on May 9 according to a well-thought-out plan. “Attacks on these installations tarnished the image of Pakistan in the comity of nations,” he said.

Asif went on to say that several times the PML-N and its allied parties invited the PTI to talks, but the latter never agreed to it.

Reminding that several civilians had been tried in military courts during the PTI government, he said that it would soon be decided whether those involved in the May 9-related incidents would be tried in military courts.  

The minister said that the National Assembly would take up May 9 for discussion at its next session.

He said that in the past Imran Khan and members of his party used to call JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman names.