ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday contradicted the military’s claim that former prime minister Imran Khan had approached it to help find a solution to the “political deadlock” in the country after a no-confidence motion was submitted against him on March 8.
Former minister in the Imran Khan government, Shireen Mazari, said that it was the military that sought the meeting with the PTI chief through ex-defence minister Pervez Khattak. The military, Mazari said, had put forward three proposals to Khan – resignation, no-confidence vote or its withdrawal and fresh elections thereafter.
“Let me be clear – I am stating on record (that the former) PM did not call military for help on breaking political deadlock,” Mazari posted on Twitter. “Why would Imran Khan give option of resigning when he had already stated categorically and repeatedly he would never resign? Makes no sense! Also, Imran Khan had categorically rejected VNC (vote of no confidence) as foreign regime change conspiracy. So why would he suggest these options. Absurd!” Mazari added.
A day earlier, Pakistan army’s spokesperson Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar had claimed at a press conference that it was in fact the prime minister’s office that had approached the army chief to find a solution to the political deadlock.
“It is unfortunate that our political leadership was not ready to talk to each other. So the army chief and the DG ISI went to the PM’s office and three scenarios were discussed,” Gen Iftikhar said, adding that the third option – withdrawal of no-confidence motion and then dissolution of assemblies – was acceptable to the former PM. The general also stated that nothing less than Khan’s removal through voting on no-trust motion was acceptable to his political opponents.
The political crisis in Pakistan had deepened last month after the joint opposition had submitted a no-confidence move against Khan. Khan had lost majority in the National Assembly after his government’s major allies deserted and joined the ranks of the opposition.
Former minister in the Imran Khan government, Shireen Mazari, said that it was the military that sought the meeting with the PTI chief through ex-defence minister Pervez Khattak. The military, Mazari said, had put forward three proposals to Khan – resignation, no-confidence vote or its withdrawal and fresh elections thereafter.
“Let me be clear – I am stating on record (that the former) PM did not call military for help on breaking political deadlock,” Mazari posted on Twitter. “Why would Imran Khan give option of resigning when he had already stated categorically and repeatedly he would never resign? Makes no sense! Also, Imran Khan had categorically rejected VNC (vote of no confidence) as foreign regime change conspiracy. So why would he suggest these options. Absurd!” Mazari added.
A day earlier, Pakistan army’s spokesperson Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar had claimed at a press conference that it was in fact the prime minister’s office that had approached the army chief to find a solution to the political deadlock.
“It is unfortunate that our political leadership was not ready to talk to each other. So the army chief and the DG ISI went to the PM’s office and three scenarios were discussed,” Gen Iftikhar said, adding that the third option – withdrawal of no-confidence motion and then dissolution of assemblies – was acceptable to the former PM. The general also stated that nothing less than Khan’s removal through voting on no-trust motion was acceptable to his political opponents.
The political crisis in Pakistan had deepened last month after the joint opposition had submitted a no-confidence move against Khan. Khan had lost majority in the National Assembly after his government’s major allies deserted and joined the ranks of the opposition.
