Imran, Faiz were partners, claims Khawaja Asif

Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has claimed that the partnership between former Prime Minister Imran Khan and retired General Faiz Hameed, which played a central role in bringing Imran Khan to power, continued beyond the events of May 9.

Speaking to the press in Parliament House, Asif stated that the collaboration between Khan and Faiz Hameed was key to the PTI leader’s political rise, Express News reported.

“General Faiz was the central figure in bringing Imran Khan to power. Their partnership began before the 2018 elections and continued after May 9. and anyone who denies this we have evidence to support it,” Asif said.

He also highlighted the ways in which the retired General Faiz allegedly aided Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during the 2018 general elections.

“RTS (Result Transmission System) was manipulated, opposition leaders were imprisoned, and false cases were filed. This helped PTI’s rise to power,” Asif said.

He added that the partnership also involved business figures in corruption and manipulation of Senate elections during PTI's time in government.

Asif further commented on the military trials of individuals during Imran Khan’s tenure, stating, “The law will decide whether Imran Khan faces a military trial. Many individuals faced such trials during his time in office.”

Regarding the events of May 9, Asif accused PTI of fabricating evidence, saying, “PTI failed to present any proof regarding the deaths of 12 individuals in the National Assembly. The blame has been unfairly placed on police and Rangers, while the deaths of 5 police officers and Rangers personnel have been ignored.”

The Defence Minister also dismissed claims made on social media about the events, stressing that not everything shown online is true. "The reality is far from what is portrayed on social media," he added.

Yesterday, Khawaja Asif criticised the leadership of PTI and their ongoing protests, stating that the decisions made on November 26 would lead to further humiliation once revealed.

Addressing the National Assembly on Tuesday, Asif responded to the speech of Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, questioning the inconsistencies in the claims made about the number of casualties during the protests.

"As of today, it has been 12 to 13 days since November 26, yet it remains unclear whether there were 12, 278, or even thousands of deaths. The opposition has failed to provide clarity on the true number of casualties," he remarked.