Khawaja Asif says no chance of talks with PTI

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said there was no chance of holding dialogue with the PTI whatsoever and all of those involved in the May 9 attacks should be held accountable.

“The PTI founder [Imran Khan] does not believe in anything except personal interests,” he told Asma Shirazi in HUM News prime time programme “Faisla Aap Ka”.

Why only military installations were attacked on May 9, the seasoned politician questioned and said the attacks had been been carried out after complete planning. There could not be any compromise on May 9 [attacks], he added.

The May 9 episode was a product of a “well-thought-out conspiracy”, he reiterated the official stance.

Read more: Yasmin Rashid and others sentenced in two May 9 cases, Qureshi acquitted

Khawaja Asif — a close aide of former three-time minister Nawaz Sharif — said the PTI attacked the state [on May 9] and challenge the [state] institutions as well as their repute.

“Popularity doesn’t mean attacking the state its institution,” he said and added there was no solution except seeking forgiveness and expressing regret over the May 9 episode.

The PTI should apologise the nation, not any individual, he remarked and stressed that May 9 should never be repeated, Khawaja Asif said, adding that it targeted the same military which made the Pakistanis proud around the world by defeating India.

Read more: PTI disowns Gohar’s statement calling May 9 ‘wrong’

At the same time, the defence minister made it clear that “the government stands by the Constitution and the law.

The sentences awarded in the May 9 cases should be seen in the entire context, he noted, as the anti-terrorism courts have convicting those involved in the violent protests over two years ago.

IT’S NOT POLITICAL VICTIMISATION

A whole new debate has started over the sentencing of PTI leaders in the May 9 cases, revolving around the idea of political victimisation. However, Khawaja Asif — like other PML-N leaders — doesn’t agree with that.

He reminded the audience that Nawaz Sharif was ousted thrice and jailed, with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto — first democratically-elected Prime Minister of Pakistan — hanged.

But no political party resorted to what the PTI had done despite all the excesses, Khawaja Asif told Shirazi.

Recalling his personal experience, the defence minister said he was imprisoned in the PTI government for not condemning the elder Sharif’s speeches.

He said he was summoned at the then army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa’s residence and warned of being arrested in case of not condemning Nawaz Sharif’s speeches.

Read more: Govt hails May 9 convictions, says violent protests part of recorded history

27TH AMENDMENT

Amid the ongoing speculations, Khawaja Asif confirmed the possible introduction of 27th Amendment which, he said, would result in changes.

However, the defence minister added that he did not have any information about the nature of those changes.

On the other hand, the senior cabinet member that the 18th Amendment created a situation where the provinces had all the resources, leaving very little for the Centre.

He opined that the Centre still had the same responsibilities and noted that they would have to increase the defence budget.

Given the challenges Pakistan is facing, Khawaja Asif stressed the need for introducing changes in the legal and constitutional structure.

In this regard, he cited the local governments as an example.

According to Khawaja Asif, the local governments around the world meet any state’s expenditure, which isn’t the case in Pakistan.

Bureaucracy has ruled Pakistan continuously, but there is concept of accountability in its ranks, he noted.