Ex-COAS Bajwa ‘threatened' me, says Defence Minister Khawaja Asif

KARACHI: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Wednesday revealed that former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa threatened him that he would hold a press conference, to which, “I said do it.”

The senior cabinet member of the nascent Shehbaz Sharif government made the revelation while talking to Shahzeb Khanzada on Geo News.

Asif confirmed this when the anchor asked him if he had been threatened before by the former army chief.

“Yes, he threatened me earlier as well and told me that he [Bajwa] would hold a press conference against me to which I said do it.”

The matter came under discussion when the minister was sharing his opinion on his demand of summoning ex-army chief and spymaster Faiz Hamid to the National Assembly for questioning on their policy to allow Taliban to return.

At this point, the anchor mentioned that the PTI has also condemned the threat given to the defence minister.

Asif said that he didn’t insult anyone by asking to summon the ex-generals for a briefing on the previous government’s policy.

“Two or three years ago we were given a briefing that if the Taliban were allowed to return to Pakistan, a new era would start, and there would be peace and brotherhood. We were presented with a rosy picture but see what’s happening in the country.”

The minister, however, denied receiving any direction from the party in this regard and said no one should get offended by his demand.

“If someone is feeling hurt, I would say, let it go.”

Asif said that the issue of rigging in elections is a political issue, if they (PTI) want to audit, then start it from 2018.

‘Bajwa, Faiz can’t be summoned to parliament’

Meanwhile, Law Minister Nazir Tarar stated that the former military officials can’t be summoned as no one other than the elected members can come to the floor of the house.

Speaking on Geo News programme Capital Talk, Tarar said that Bajwa and Faiz can be asked to appear before the standing committees.