Imran upset over losing army’s backing: Bilawal

FM says PTI chief always supported dictatorship

KARACHI:

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said PTI Chairman Imran Khan is not against the military’s interference in politics. Rather, the former prime minister is upset with the army only because it is no longer supporting him.

“Mr Khan's problem with Pakistan Army began in April of last year when it declared that it would not get involved in politics and would not take sides,” Bilawal, who also serves as PPP Chairman, said on Saturday during an interview with Al Jazeera.

“Mr Khan's issue with the army in Pakistan is not that they're involved in politics; his problem with the army is they're not getting involved to support him,” he added.

He said the role of the army in the politics of the country cannot be denied. “More than half of our history has been covered by military rule. My party, the PPP, has challenged each and every single dictatorship in Pakistan's history.”

Bilawal said Imran has supported every dictatorship in Pakistan, including the last dictatorship of former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. “Mr Khan's political history is that he has supported every dictator and he supported every autocrat in Pakistan's history.”

The foreign minister said Imran Khan’s rise to power in 2018 is well-documented. “It is an established fact that he was brought into power through a rigged election in collaboration with some former officers of the Pakistan Army.”

Read No negotiations until PTI apologises for torching Jinnah House: Bilawal

To a question about the army’s popularity after May 9 events, Bilawal said the majority of the people of the country want the army to remain apolitical.

“As far as the army's popularity as an institution is concerned, the PTI supporters may be upset with the Pakistan Army for not violating the Constitution and supporting Mr Khan.”

He said the majority of Pakistanis are deeply offended by the actions that took place on May 9 where Khan encouraged his supporters to attack army installations.

“The Corp Commander House in Lahore, the GHQ [General Headquarters] in Rawalpindi and many military installations [were targeted].

“Such an attack has never been carried out by any political party in the history of Pakistan and now those who were involved in these attacks on our military installations must face the consequences of the law of the land,” he added.

Bilawal said his party does not believe change can come by attacking military institutions but rather by strengthening democracy.

“The only way that change can come would be with democratic forces and civilian institutions such as parliament to take their place within Pakistani society and exert themselves,” he added.

He said when Khan was the prime minister; he paid very little attention to parliament.

“When he should have been the leader of the opposition, he left parliament. The fate of Pakistan can't be decided on the streets. It has to be decided by parliament and that is the only way Pakistani democracy can be strengthened when civilians take their own space… it will ease the army out of politics.”

He said the only person to be blamed for Imran Khan's downfall is Imran Khan himself. History will prove that this is the case, he said.

Floods

Talking about the devastating floods of last year, Bilawal said the country experienced the worst climate catastrophe in its history.

“One-third of our landmass was submerged, impacting one in seven Pakistanis, or 33 million people. The floods had a significant effect on our economy. In terms of reconstruction plans, our goal is not just to rebuild, but to build back better and in a more climate-resilient manner,” he added.

To achieve this, Bilawal said, Pakistan co-hosted a climate-resilient Pakistan conference in Geneva with the UN secretary-general.

“The aim was to raise the necessary funds, setting a target of $8 billion, which was half of the required amount based on the damage needs assessment. We exceeded expectations, with pledges reaching between nine and ten billion dollars.

“Currently, we are working to materialise those pledges and also engaging with the IMF to finalise its programme. Once the IMF programme is in place, we anticipate receiving additional resources from the funds pledged by countries and multilateral institutions at our climate-resilient Pakistan conference.”

‘Afghan interim govt must live up to its commitments'

Bilawal expressed his disappointment with the interim government of Afghanistan, saying Pakistan and the international community had high expectations from the new regime.

“While they have made some progress in certain areas, there is still a long way to go in many others. Pakistan's position on Afghanistan aligns with that of the international community.

“We urge the interim government in Afghanistan to fulfill their pledges to both the international community and their own people.

This includes commitments related to women's rights, women's education, and ensuring that Afghan soil is not used for terrorist activities or as a safe haven for terrorists.

“We believe that engagement is the solution, and it is crucial for not only Pakistan but the entire international community to engage with Afghanistan.”

He said it was in the best interest of all parties involved that Afghanistan becomes a secure and prosperous country, fostering good relations with its neighbours. “To achieve this, the interim government must live up to its commitments to the international community,” he added.

The foreign minister said Pakistan was witnessing a quantitative increase in terrorist attacks since the fall of Kabul in August 2021.
“You are absolutely right to point out the security threat we face from terrorist organisations, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

“Following the fall of Kabul, we have witnessed a quantitative increase in terrorist attacks in Pakistan. We are actively engaging with Afghan authorities and strongly urging them to take decisive action against these groups,” he added.

Bilawal said meetings have taken place with the Iranian foreign minister in Pakistan, as well as trilateral meetings involving China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. “The key message from these engagements has been the need for specific action against terrorist groups,” he added.

Relations with China

To a question about Pakistan’s relations with China, Bilawal said: “Individuals with biased attitudes” consistently repeat baseless claims without any proof. The truth is that we have actively engaged with China over the years and have established an all-weather strategic partnership.”

Through initiatives such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said, Pakistan has made significant developments in energy infrastructure, communication infrastructure, and port infrastructure.

“Naturally, such extensive development comes at a cost. However, we remain optimistic that we will fulfil all our commitments.
“Development is the right of all nations, not just a select few, and it is the responsibility of the Pakistani government to develop infrastructure and promote economic prosperity for its people.

“As a result of the CPEC, we anticipate an increase in economic activity not only in Pakistan but also in China. Our economies can complement each other,” he said.