Army chief asked me not to call Fazl ‘diesel’: PM

Imran says will knock down three wickets in single delivery

TIMERGARA:

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa asked him not to call Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman “diesel”.

“I am not the one saying it, people have given him this name,” Premier Imran said while addressing a huge public gathering at Blambat Ground in Timergara, the district headquarter of Lower Dir on Friday.

The premier also referred to a statement made by the JUI-F chief during a news conference wherein he had said that after coming to power “he would mend an institution”.

“By an institution, he meant the army,” PM Imran said as he railed against the opposition leaders. He added that the opposition parties “attacked” judges, courts, and “bribed the media”. “They destroyed every institution they touched,” he added.

“Will Nawaz mend Pakistan Army?” he questioned. “The army is the only reason Pakistan is existing today.”
The prime minister said that during the government of former premier Nawaz Sharif, India's Narendra Modi used to term Pakistan Army a “terrorist army” and its chief “the head of terrorists”, but Nawaz did not condemn it.

He said that the former PM told the Foreign Office spokesperson not to issue statements against India. "The leaders whose wealth is parked in foreign countries cannot have an independent foreign policy that protects the rights of the nation," he added.

Continuing his attack against Nawaz, Imran said, “I am told not to call Nawaz a bhagora (absconder) and a liar.” He said Nawaz ran away from Pakistan twice – first after making an alleged deal with military dictator Pervez Musharraf and then allegedly feigning illness during his tenure.

He also accused Nawaz of trying to bribe an army chief with a BMW and having a secret meeting with Modi in Nepal. “Will he fix the army,” he asked.

Taking a potshot at Fazl, Imran alleged that the JUI-F chief asked Americans to “give him a chance to serve them”. “Will Fazl, who asked Americans to give him a chance, fix the army?”

Alluding to the memogate scandal, Imran asked will Zardari, who asked “Americans to save him from the army” mend this institution.

Speaking about the no-trust move against him, Imran said it was “his prayer that the opposition brings a no-confidence motion against me”.

PM Imran lashed out at his rivals, vowing to defeat the no-trust resolution by "bringing three wickets down in a single delivery" - a tongue-in-cheek reference to all three party heads of PML-N, PPP and JUI-F.

The prime minister said the three opposition leaders – Asif Ali Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif and Fazlur Rehman – spearheading the no-trust vote against him were responsible for the woes faced by Pakistan.

“Insha Allah, your captain will win this match of no-trust motion in parliament,” the premier said, adding he had been praying that they go ahead with their plan to file a no-confidence motion against him so that he was given an opportunity to "take three wickets in a single delivery".

Read Motion on the table: Joint opposition files no-trust, requisition for NA session

He also alleged that the opposition had been demanding an NRO from him.

The sharp tone is the continuation of the PM's recent attacks in the backdrop of accelerated efforts from the united front of the opposition leaders to topple his government. Meanwhile, the question of unity within the ranks of his own party plunged into uncertainty when his close friend Aleem Khan announced joining hands with disgruntled party leader Jahangir Tareen earlier this week.

Addressing the rally on Friday, the PM said, "They tell me that they will topple my government if I didn't close corruption cases against them. But I tell them that I will not close the cases even if I have to give my life for it. I am not doing politics against you but fighting a jihad.

"The green passport has no respect in the world because of them.”

Soon it will become “crystal clear”, he said, adding that he will take “three wickets” on the day of the no-trust vote. There will be “a sea of people at D-Chowk” on the day of the no-confidence vote, Imran said. He claimed the opposition leaders were out to “hunt” him but he will “hunt” them instead.

According to Imran, his party lawmakers informed him regarding the overtures of the opposition leaders. “I tell them to take the money … Rs200 million is being offered to them.” Spend this money on charity as it is “black money”, but never sell your conscience, he advised. “Allah did not forgive those who sold their conscience,” Imran added.The premier said the opposition leaders drowned the country in debts and “bowed before superpowers”, adding that there were hundreds of drone strikes during the tenures of Zardari and Nawaz, but neither of them condemned the attacks as their wealth was parked in foreign countries.

Innocent people, including children, were killed but they did not term these attacks against international law, he said, adding that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took to the streets against these strikes.

Reiterating that he will build the state on the model of Madina, Imran said rule of law, justice, and fairness were the pillars of a sovereign state.