Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan. PHOTO: REUTERS
Imran Khan was criticised again on Friday for his recent statement when Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif met to discuss the ongoing peace talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
In an interview to a private TV channel, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief had said that PM Nawaz told him, in the presence of the then Chief of Army Staff, that there is a 40 per cent chance of success in case of a military operation against the Taliban.
During Friday’s meeting, the interior minister maintained that there should be no misconception in anybody’s mind about the capability and the strength of the armed forces of Pakistan. This capability has been proven time and again, especially with the two recent examples of targeted operations in Swat and Waziristan.
The government is earnestly pursuing the dialogue process as a genuine peace option, however, the armed forces are fully geared, equipped and motivated to ensure the security of the country in any corner of Pakistan once it is given the go-ahead by the government, he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif lauded the sacrifices of the armed forces and said that not only the government but the people of Pakistan also have full confidence in their capability, professionalism and commitment. He said that any statement, which compromises or affects the morale or the fighting spirit of the armed forces should be avoided at all costs.
The two leaders also discussed the capacity building of the law-enforcement agencies in Punjab and called for a greater cooperation and coordination between the federal and provincial governments.
Imran’s statement also rebuked in Senate
Senate’s Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq, too, rejected the remarks made by PTI Chairman Imran Khan and clarified that a meeting among PM Nawaz‚ former army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani‚ the interior minister and the PTI Chairman was held before the start of the all parties conference (APC).
“PTI Chief Imran Khan misquoted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former army chief Pervaiz Kayani while stating that there were 40% chances of success if an operation is started against militants,” he informed the Senate in response to a point of order, raised by Senator Raza Rabbani.
“I have got required information and reached the conclusion that statement of Imran Khan has no reality and is totally baseless. The PTI chief could not understand what the former army chief had said,” he added.
In the meeting, Zafarul Haq said, the former army chief had told Imran Khan that if the operation was launched by the government against militants, then 40% terrorism activities could be controlled immediately. The former army chief had also stated that the government should fully utilise the option of dialogue with militant groups. “We have full confidence in Pakistan Army who is capable to fight extremism and aggression against country. Their determination cannot be called in question,” he added.
The Leader of the House acknowledged that besides the personnel, the officers of Armed Forces have also rendered valuable sacrifices in the war against terrorism and embraced martyrdom in line of duty.
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan welcomed Zafarul Haq’s statement and said whole nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the Armed Forces in their fight against terrorism.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2014.
COMMENTS (58)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1724238420-0/Untitled-design-(3)1724238420-0-165x106.webp "article")
1731678234-0/pete-(1)1731678234-0-165x106.webp "article")
@lkhan: Dear Khansahab, Really speaking, I wanted to see/read Imran's full interview, but couldn't find it on You Tube. Pl give the link here when you reply to this comment. My comments about its origin are from the paragraph copy-pasted from this news item itself. "In an interview to a private TV channel, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief had said that PM Nawaz told him, in the presence of the then Chief of Army Staff, that there is a 40 per cent chance of success in case of a military operation against the Taliban." So you can decide who is the dimwit. I stand by my opinion about Pakistan Army's top brass (and not its soldiers)! I have seen the soldiers bullying and beating civilians on the orders of their top brass and I have seen the top brass bullying and overthrowing civilian governments through coup d'états. Best example of 'bravery' of Pakistani top brass was "Memogate" affair, far away from battlefield! Of course, this opinion is highly personal.
@lkhan Dear Khansahab, Really speaking, I wanted to see/read Imran's full interview, but couldn't find it. Pl give the link here when you reply to this comment. My comments about its origin are from the paragraph copy-pasted from this news item itself. "In an interview to a private TV channel, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief had said that PM Nawaz told him, in the presence of the then Chief of Army Staff, that there is a 40 per cent chance of success in case of a military operation against the Taliban." So you can decide who is the dimwit. I stand by my opinion about Pakistan Army's top brass (and not its soldiers)! I have seen them bullying and beating civilians on the orders of their top brass and I have seen the top brass bullying and overthrowing civilian governments through coup d'etats. Best example of 'bravery' of your generals was "Memogate", far away from battlefield! Of course, this opinion is highly personal.
@Bazauk khan:
Stop living in dreams. First India should put a man in the space by themselves before doing these "Topi Dramas" of MARS. Even CERN knows this and have not awarded them the status of associate yet
Cannot understand that why we have not been able to learn from our history of more than 66 years. Whenever, someone has resisted the status quo he has been vanished by these feudal lords of our country who believe that only they, there Children (Bilawal, Hamza, Marium Nawz) have the right to rule us and consider us there subjects.
Who ever tries to break the system free and give a chance to the people of Pakistan is ripped away.
We respect the armed forces of Pakistan but the question is the army which claims of sweeping 100% Success rate now. Where has it been since last 12 years. The war and the terrorists Milita is not born today? Why our forces have been unable to control the Tribal areas????
So there you have the answer, Imran is just been punished to dare speak the truth to the people again.
@SBK-1502: Yet another dimwit - read the article, IK misquoted not NS but the army chief! And your views of the armed forces of Pakistan are just that - your views - equally warped as your reading abilities...
IK, make an effort to understand what is being said to you, not believe what you want to!! There is a huge difference between what the army chief said, in effect if the armed forces were to take action, they could immediately control 40% of terrorist activities; and your remarks on TV nothing less. This is a very grave issue, we can do without such demoralising misquotes from one who holds the responsibility of leading a political party. Second thoughts, what else to expect from IK - his record of statements does not hold well for his intellect, if any if I may add.......
Can some tell me Amry's achievements in combatant role in last 66 years including against terrorists. Don't forget Abotabad...Imran is not a diplomatic person and he would say what he heard to make his argument. Mian sahabs & company have no principles , they would align with anyone to keep power.
It is interesting to look at wars around the globe. Low functioning, secretly controlled politician start unnecessary wars which cause dreadful suffering, particularly to their own people, and when it is all over continually heap praise on their brave soldiers as a means of distraction. Of course, the celebrations, or remembrance as they like to call it, does not included the women folk, and their families, who had to keep things going whilst the brave lads were away, and quite often were in the firing line as well, but without the protection that the military get, Also, the soldiers only have to look after themselves. The women have families to look after. The bottom line is, negotiate and stop wars. At the end of the day it is the women and children who really suffer, and statistics, which some people ignore, bear this out..
we should accept the truth..Pakistan Army never won a war,even it can not safe guard it own house GHQ...over generals are busy running real state marriage halls and all sort of corruption
Pakistan Did not lost 3 wars from India! Infact Pakistan couldnt capture India 3 times.
@Bazauk khan:
You are a great friend of the Indians to bazuka them to the red planet.Have'nt they got enough to do on Earth?
Rex Minor
We should not forget martyrs of Army, Rangers and Police. They sacrificed their lives for this country. Imran ignored all this while giving the statement. Nothing good is expected from PTI. I am ashamed of voting for PTI in last elections.
Imran is not a trustworthy person. Entire KPK is suffering due to bad governance of PTI. Imran fooled the whole nation with the slogan of "change". What change has come in KPK? Now PTI has started demoralizing Pakistan Army. What a dity politics by PTI.
ALLAH bless Pakistan. ALLAH bless Pakistan army. ALLAH bless PML N.
Shahbaz and Nisar, they were not even there in the meeting yet they are making tall rebuttal claims.Call Nawaz from Turkey and have him do a press conference.
If the army is so capable then why is half of Pakistan under the control of militants? One of those Elephant in the Room things?
Mian Sahib and Ch. Nisar's statement is hypocritical, perhaps they are talking about army's capability of which they have first hand experience.
Why are we not getting Ahead with so many resources availabilty. A country with advance military preparedness still strugling with education, medical and primary schooling in Sind. The need is bottlenecks in our use of Tax Money. Its a hand out to give over fifty percent of Tax Money for defence preparedness. We need to manufacture defence equipments instead of acquiring simple automobilies like jeep, trucks, land cruisers. Lets debottle to build our concepts right. A right strategey will work. In the rural now at a stage in Sind that human being have no possesion. A thriving province with Highest Txation revenue generation is lying at Whim of dont know what.
@Bazauk khan: Mars? Go there. Just don't send one of your female diplomats there.
WHY DOES NOT SOME BODY ASK THE BLUNDERING Nawaz Sharif if he said that? Nine out of ten he will deny. A person who does not look straight at you while talking to you can never be trusted. Nawaz is one such person. Watch carefully next time.
@Jack Straw: People are materialistic and selfish, forget they can even do anything
I fully agree with IK and his stance on terrorism.He said Pakistan army is fully combatant but the success of killing o capturing the real combatant is 40 % which is not a success in any sense.Collateral damage is the real serious issue in way of offensive attack.
I think the success of operation could only be measured in terms of the decrease in terrorist activities across the country. People think swat operation was successful but like how did Fazalullah and his comrades managed to escape?.And swat was relatively easy as compared to North Waziristan because it could be surrounded from all sides unlike North Waziristan...If you launch an operation talibans would leave the valley and return to the mountains yes an immediate decrease of 40 percent in terrorist activities but then again after a few months it would be the same..Imran Khan makes sense if Raja Zafar ul Haqs version of Army Chiefs statement is true.There is no short term solution for this..Talks are the way forward even for a successful military operation.
I don't understand what ET has got against me, not printing my comments lately.
Lets not drag India into this .India is going to Mars Folks ..it gives a hoot about you and your disguised civil war which is sure to engulf your whole nation ....
@Khalid Butt:
People fight Wars not Army ..they only skirmish ...
@Abbas: As has been proven by Musharraf, yes, treason is not an offence in Pakistan (no matter what the Constitution says.)
It is difficult to understand what is this all about?. It is about who said what?.No body is questioning the bravery of pakistani army. What Imran appears to have been told according to Mr.Zafrul Haq is that IMMEDIATE success rate would amount to 40%. There can never be 100% success. Both this gentleman and Imran appear to be right But Imran should have kept his mouth shut because he is leaking confidential information. There are two ways to show that one is a idiot! One is to keep quiet and let others think you are one and other is to open your mouth and remove all doubts about it. I am not sure where the most of the politicians fit in?
Thank you ET for Posting today's share of Bashing and Defaming PTI
Thank you all who have supported the argument that Imran Khan is immature leader, he thinks only for PTI, PTI has no future and all that stuff.
But the fact remains a fact.
I.K Should be sorry to bring out the naked truth and not keeping us in a valley of "All is well'
Can't believe PML-N politicians... non trust worthy Now they wana create differences between army and PTI. Goodluck Imran you are among traitors
@Omer Janjua: It is not about technical strength. It is about the about the strategic authority/control which the State must exercise over any internal disturbances. Passing unwarranted remarks like that especially when you happen to be a prominent politician amounts to treason.
Army's presence amounts to strategic control which comes crashing down when a prominent politician makes such remarks. And for once, can you not compare with India?!
I am sure "naya Pakistan" will be too old by the time the next elections comes and people will be wiser and such figures will be banished forever.
@Usman: Very true is your statement: "If you define success as a bombardment of an area causing civilian as well as enemy damage then Pak Army can acheive 100% success rate by 6pm tonight, let alone tomorrow." The only thing is that such will be a pyrrhic victory.
A leaders duty is to tell the truth to the public. Unfortunately we were told all lies in 1971 and we all know what happened later on. Unfortunately there was no Imran Khan at that time.
Once again proven that Imran Khan is immature and this incapable to lead a province, not to talk about the entire country!
This is the problem. Everyone thinks first and then make statement in politics while This Imran Khan is such a immature person. He always speaks and makes statement first and then all PTI thinks how to justify that.
Say NO to PTI.
I am at a loss to understand how news travels around Pakistan. Its as if it has to cross international borders, where its lost in translation. Does a 40% success rate by the Army mean the Army's not capable? How hard is it to bomb a territory with complete air superiority? . What Imran Khan was referring to was success where success is defined as minimum civilian casualties with maximum loss to the opponents. If you define success as a targetted pin point military operation which achieves all its objectives of minimum civilian casualties and maximum damage to the opponents then even 40% is too high a success rate. . If you define success as a bombardment of an area causing civilian as well as enemy damage then Pak Army can acheive 100% success rate by 6pm tonight, let alone tomorrow. . Every Pakistani stands with its Army and its capabilities and its tenacity, courage and determination. However, our Army has been crippled by indecisive political leadership and propaganda on the ground. These factors affect the results of a serious COIN Op. How can you achieve a high success rate without even separating your enemy from your friends? . New outlets take things out of context, and the opposition is only to happy to oblige, as Nisar has done. This has nothing to do with the capabilities of the Army, but the consequences of a successful COIN Op
Imran's politics can benefit but it cannot benefit Pakistan. It is a dilemma that Imran is thinking only about PTI. Pakistan is not his priority.
A nation who lives in self denial will never succeed. As a nation we should stop living in a fools paradise and accept the bitter truth that yes our army not as strong as we might believe. It is very incapable. We lost 3 wars to india and besides that we can not even curb terrorism is our country which has been prevalent for more than 12 years! Yes our army has sacrificed a lot but that doesnt mean its the best. The reality might be bitter but what IK said was right.
Imran is surely not so irresponsible to make such a statement on his own. If the PM now backtracks on his statement, that would not be for the first time.
For God sake sir Imran khan please don't confuse this nation any more. you have proved to be worst then taliban for pakistan.
The last thing I will do is to believe anyone from N. They are a bunch of chronic liars probably saying this stuff on orders of army. Puppets :/
so much sugar coated endorsement and buettering by ruling party may only help save them their office but generally it is is not good for health
I don't think Imran has misquoted Nawaz. The maverick leader is just tactless and doesn't know when to keep his trap shut and often gets carried away! I have been saying that while the Pakistani soldiers may be brave and full of fighting spirit, the officer, particularly senior ones, have got used to ayyashi and have no will to fight. When facing a totally dedicated and focussed army or militia like Taliban or a professional army like Indian Army, there is no chance of Pakistan winning. I think Pakistani Generals are good just to show bravery against unarmed civilians or run marriage halls or playing golf!
GO IMRAN GO.
I appreciate the efforts of federal government. Imran always creates hurdles.
How many wars we lost from India ?, anyone knows. Pakistan cant sustain 3 days in war, if India attack us now. Capabilities ?. Yes, they are good in making property and askari colony
Have you checked, PPP and PML(N) together start endorsing each other without facts ? Capabilities: This is the reason we lost 3 wars from India. This nation will never learn
Someone who does not even understand such basic statements, misinterprets them and makes statements in public... and that someone has been leading the way for peace talks, you can only imagine how flawed will be the thinking behind all of this, and much their opinion can be relied upon?!
Our Armed Forces have sacrificed a lot and so have us, the ordinary civilians. Strictly about time militant's sympathizers and apologists zip up and stop supporting them.