Imran's incompetence not Gen (retd) Bajwa's fault: Asif

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Tuesday maintained that the incompetence of deposed prime minister Imran Khan cannot be blamed on former chief of army staff General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, as it was not his fault.

Calling out the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief's behaviour "shameful", the defence minister said that Khan enjoyed Gen (retd) Bajwa's support for as long as he could, but was now speaking ill about him.

“Nothing is more shameful than disgracing your benefactor,” Asif said, speaking with journalists outside the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) office in Islamabad

Imran's tirade against the former army chief has not ceased yet and in his latest remarks against Gen (retd) Bajwa, he blamed him for the PTI government's ouster.

The minister added that the incumbent government was trying to clean the mess left by the PTI in its four years tenure.

Asif said that the dissolution of assemblies was Imran's final card, and he was now losing ground.

"The PTI chief also issues libellous statements against the ECP chief," the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said, adding that it was a pity that people with no dignity get elevated to such important positions.

The PML-N leader added that Imran would laud institutions if they did his bidding, but would deride them if they followed the country's Constitution.

To a question regarding Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Asif said that the people Imran was relying on also had their political interests to safeguard.

"Their (PML-Q) record shows that they have never sided with the losing party," he added.

Asif said even Chief Minister Punjab Parvez Elahi had stated that 99% of the people were against the dissolution of the assemblies.