Imprisoned ex-Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed his sole regret during his tenure in office: placing trust in retired General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Khan accuses the former army chief of personally spreading “stories” about him to secure another term as the military head.
Khan, aged 71, who was removed from power in April 2022 through a no-confidence motion by the opposition, had accused Gen Bajwa of playing a significant role in opposing his government.
Khan, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, who is presently incarcerated at Adiala Jail due to various cases, criticized Pakistan’s political and military leaders, particularly focusing on his former ally-turned-opponent Gen Bajwa, as reported by Dawn newspaper. Khan’s remarks were made during an interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan for Zeteo, which was published on Wednesday. The interview was conducted via written questions sent by Mehdi, with no opportunity for follow-up questions, the paper noted.
“I am certain that this ordeal was orchestrated by General Bajwa. I hold no one else responsible. He meticulously planned and executed this scheme, presenting himself as a deceitful figure, creating lies and false narratives to cause national and international chaos — all to secure his extension,” Khan said in response to a question on who he blames for his imprisonment.
Khan stated that during his tenure as prime minister, he had granted Gen Bajwa a three-year extension in 2019, just three months before the army chief’s retirement. However, in a 2022 interview with Bol News, Khan admitted that he had erred in approving the extension.
“He (Bajwa) utterly failed to grasp the detrimental impact of his actions on democracy and Pakistan,” Khan said in his interview.
When questioned about his previous belief regarding the involvement of the administration of US President Joe Biden in orchestrating a coup to oust him from office, Khan attributed the blame solely to former Chief of Army Staff Bajwa.
“General Bajwa single-handedly spread stories about me to countries like the US, painting me as anti-American or uninterested in good relations with them,” he said.
“His insatiable thirst for power rendered him unpredictable,” Imran said, adding that “[Gen Bajwa’s] personal greed turned him into a bull in a china shop.”
The ex-cricketer-turned-politician emphasized his ongoing commitment to upholding the rule of law in Pakistan, stating that if justice were administered impartially, there would be no necessity for individuals like him in the country’s political arena.
“General Bajwa’s poison may have had a short-term effect, but it will not last,” Khan said.
“Most countries view our army as a stabilising force in a volatile political landscape. When the chief of this ‘one constant’ uses brute force and deceit, it becomes difficult for many countries to speak out.”
“I don’t mind if no one speaks about my treatment, but the world should raise its voice for democracy and the 250 million people of Pakistan, whose mandate has been stolen in broad daylight.”