Amid growing speculations about the possible imposition of the governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday clarified the Centre has no intention of taking such a step against its rival PTI-led government in the province.
Addressing a press conference Saturday, the defence minister, while referring to Islamabad unrest, said that PTI tried to sink the country’s economy.
“PTI launched a third onslaught on the Centre which was thwarted.”
Rubbishing the PTI’s claim about casualties at the hands of law enforcers, the minister said: “Security personnel were martyred during the PTI’s protest but found no evidence of any citizen’s death.”
The defence minister said: “The KP government attacked Centre with [official] weapons and equipment.”
He advised the provincial government to focus on the law and order situation in the province in general and in Parachinar in particular.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media in Sialkot, Kh Asif claimed that Pakistan PTI founding chairman Imran Khan had agreed to a suggestion to change the location of the protest, but his wife, Bushra Bibi, did not accept the proposal.
Asif recalled that on November 24, PTI called for a sit-in protest, with party workers crossing barricades and making their way to Islamabad.
He praised the security forces for successfully preventing what he described as the third attack on the federal government.
Asif criticised PTI’s leadership, stating that when confronted with genuine resistance, the party fled the scene.
He compared their retreat to a lack of resolve, saying such behavior was unprecedented in any war or movement.
He remarked that while PTI’s crowd size ‘was good, just like any one familiar with politics would muster, but ‘Bushra Bibi, unfamiliar with such a massive gathering, reportedly expressed concern, saying, “Who will go there now?” and insisted on continuing the march towards D-Chowk.
“What happened later, she fled from the scene, escaping with Gandapur.”
Asif also recalled Khyber-Pakhtunkha Ali Amin Gandapur’s vehicle was alo hit by bricks as they fled from the scene. He mentioned that the leaders only managed to escape with great difficulty, before resurfacing to Mansehra.
