Khawaja Asif implies Gandapur’s surreptitious ties with establishment

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that he was certain that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has covert ties with the establishment as “his involvement in wheeling and dealing” lends credence to it.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Asif said, “While other PTI leaders such as Barrister Gohar Ali Khan have no such links, Gandapur’s position as the chief minister also makes him important to ahve contact with the establishment. And his importance is because of his connection with the establishment.”

When asked if Gandapur was in contact with the establishment, Asif replied, “I’ve been thinking the same. Given Gandapur’s submissive behaviour during the apex committee meeting, such assumption seems most probable.”

Asif did not hold back in his criticism of the PTI leadership, stating that they were least interested in Imran Khan’s release. “If Imran Khan were freed, it would jeopardise the vested interests of other PTI leaders,” he said.

Reacting to former first lady Bushra Bibi’s recent remarks, Asif condemned what he described as “shameful antics” on her part, accusing the PTI leadership of harming Pakistan’s relationship with Saudi Arabia. “Saudi Arabia is central to Pakistan’s economic stability, with 2.8 million Pakistanis working there and their remittances play a crucial role in Pakistan’s economic stability,” he said.

Referring to Bushra Bibi, he said, “She criticised the very country whose gifted watch she sold. Despite such hypocrisy, PTI leaders portray themselves as paragons of virtue.”

Asif also referenced an alleged audio clip involving Bushra Bibi, in which she purportedly berated staff over gifts. He accused her of undervaluing state gifts to evade proper payment to the national treasury.

“The same individuals who falsely claim religious piety are raising their children abroad in Zionist environments,” he said, adding that internal feuds within the PTI have reached unprecedented lows.

The defence minister also lambasted the PTI saying, “The party has descended into chaos, with infighting among family members of Imran Khan and his wife.

He said that Bushra Bibi and three prominent women in the party are on opposing sides.

Asif alleged that PTI is engaged in a desperate attempt to salvage its dwindling political stature, saying, “Instead of resorting to cheap tactics, they might as well spread cloth at D-Chowk and start collecting donations.”

Commenting on the law-and-order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Asif expressed concern over continued violence in the province. “The KP chief minister should be combating terrorism, yet every other day, he’s taking aim at the federal government instead,” he said.

He also alleged that PTI’s leadership settled 7,000 militants in the province, further destabilising the region.

The defence minister said that there were no ongoing talks between the government and PTI.