Asif shifts blame of gun attack onto Imran

NA condemns attack on ex-PM but blames him for 'incendiary politics'

ISLAMABAD:

Members of the National Assembly appeared to be straddling an incendiary dual message on Friday as they condemned the attempt on PTI chief Imran Khan’s life, saying that the incident was condemnable – but the former prime minister also “crossed the red lines” that invited the trouble.

Addressing the National Assembly a day after the assassination attempt that left the nation shocked, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that blaming politicians and a senior military officer without proof for being involved in the attack was tantamount to “derailing” the matter.

He also shifted the blame of the attempt at the PTI chief Imran Khan’s life onto Imran Khan for “crossing the red lines of religion”. “The suspect’s videos that have surfaced … they show that religious fanaticism motivated the attack," he added.

“Time and time again, the former prime minister came close to crossing boundaries — or he crossed the boundaries — he crossed the red lines of religion because of which a man attacked him.”

The minister also quoted the suspect's 'confession' as proof that Imran had brought the attack upon himself. He said the incident was a “cause of embarrassment for the nation”.

“When the political leaders promote violence or make hate speeches against their political opponents, their followers naturally become violent,” he said.

He said the whole nation was condemning the firing incident on Imran Khan’s container but quickly added that at the same time, all political parties and leaders should promote the culture of dialogue at every level.

He said the whole house must condemn the attack on Imran Khan because he has been the Prime Minster of the country and a member national assembly as well.

Imran Khan survived the attempt on his life with bullet wounds in the incident.

Hours after the incident, former PTI federal minister Asad Umar said the PTI chief Imran Khan had named three suspects, who he believed were behind the gun attack. He named Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and a military official as being involved in the assassination attempt against him, Umar said.

Read US condemns attack on Imran, calls on all parties to 'refrain from violence'

Addressing the NA on Friday, Asif said that these claims were “diverting the incident into a direction where no criminal will be held responsible”.

The defence minister also said that the government “should still not refrain from providing any kind of help that could prove useful in this matter” as he stressed that if the attack was given a political outlook it would become an inconclusive matter of history.

“Attempts are being made,” he further claimed, “to achieve political objectives by sabotaging the entire incident”.

“The federal government wants,” the minister added, “that if there is any conspiracy behind yesterday’s incident, then it should be brought forward.”

The defence minister expressed fears that “if this issue is politicised” then there was a chance that the truth would not come out as “such matters have been buried in the past.”

Khwaja Asif also said that “Imran Khan repeatedly said that he saw blood” ahead of his march on the capital and “today the attack on Imran Khan has taken place under the chief ministership of ‘the dacoit of Punjab’” – a phrase Imran previously used to refer to Chief Minister Pervez Elahi before the two became political allies.

“People have been killed,” the minister exclaimed adding that “God saved Imran Khan and may He protect him.”

Urging the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe into the incident, Asif also said that “instead of doing politics on the attack, the attackers should be pursued”.

“They have turned the prime minister, Rana Sanaullah and an officer of the institution into attackers,” he said, “while until the day before yesterday they were claiming they were in contact with the establishment”.

“I condemn using this attack to malign an institution,” said the minister.

Read more Imran 'recovering fast' after assassination bid

The defence minister also claimed that Imran, time and again, has used “language” crossing the “red lines of religion” and alleged that “it is because of this reason that a man attacked him.”

Referring to “the suspect’s videos that have surfaced” on social media, the minister said that “it is evident from them that religious fanaticism is behind it.”

‘Campaign against military’ condemned

Meanwhile, MNA Noor Alam Khan condemned the “campaign against the armed forces” and said that PTI leadership was criticising the security forces while linking the firing incident to them for their “political gains”.

He said that Pakistan Army personnel were performing their duties on the borders to protect their homeland and the people.

“PTI Leadership is dragging the military into the incident because they refused to interfere in the political matters of the country,” he added.

He also urged the political parties and NA speaker to bring a resolution in the parliament to support security forces in this difficult time and lauded the patience and restraint shown by the military amid this crisis to safeguard the country’s interests.

The MNA also requested the Supreme Court to look into the matter and ban political leaders and parties who were giving controversial statements against the national institutions.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal also condemned the incident and said that if the "doors for dialogue are closed and abusive language is used against political opponents" then the decisions are made with bullets, not through the ballot box.