Nawaz says Faiz, Bajwa responsible for current Pakistan mess

LONDON: Former prime minister and PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif on Thursday singled out General (retd) Bajwa and Lt General (retd) Faiz Hameed for spinning Pakistan around for their personal wishes and whims in the form of installing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in 2018.

Speaking to the media after a long time here on Thursday evening after holding talks with his party colleagues including Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, the former PM reminded people of his Gujranwala speech to a PDM rally on Oct 16, 2020 in which he shocked Pakistan by directly accusing former army chief General (retd) Qamar Bajwa and former ISI chief Lt General (retd) Faiz Hameed of rigging elections, installing Imran Khan as prime minister in violation of the Constitution, removing his government, muzzling the media, pressurising the judiciary and victimising opposition politicians.

Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday that he had pointed out in Gujranwala speech who was responsible for the mess Pakistan was in and how a group of people conspired to take over Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif said that Lt General (R) Faiz and General (R) Bajwa were responsible for making it all about their personalities, their wishes and desires.

The News had reported two days ago that Nawaz Sharif had decided to focus his attack on four persons for bringing Pakistan to near ruin – and these four individuals are retired judges Saqib Nisar, Asif Saeed Khosa, General (retd) Bajwa, Lt General (retd) Faiz Hameed and Imran Khan.

Nawaz Sharif told the media outside his son’s office that he didn’t mince facts when informing the Pakistani nation about the cruelty and injustice he and Pakistan had been subjected to. He said, “We have been treated unjustly and cruelly and it’s my responsibility to point that out.”

Nawaz Sharif said that the people of Pakistan are well aware of the “faces and characters” of the two retired generals who are believed to be behind implementing the Tabdeeli project originally envisioned by former intelligence chiefs General Shuja Pasha, General Zaheer-ul-Islam and their colleagues.

Nawaz Sharif said he had discussed Pakistan’s current situation with Rana Sanaullah, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Senator Dr Afnan Khan, Javed Lateef, MNA, and others after the interior minister arrived in London to hold talks with the party leader. “Inshallah, all will be well. Pakistan will come out of the difficulties and we will make sure that happens. Our track record of progress is a witness and it’s not possible that we will not make that happen.”

Nawaz Sharif called Imran Khan a “mad man” who had caused damage to Pakistan and wanted to destroy it. “Compare his four years of government with four years of our government and you will see how happy and prosperous people were in two tenures and how he (Imran) destroyed Pakistan,” said the former PM.

Nawaz Sharif said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) took over the government after winning the vote of no-confidence to “save Pakistan from this mad man” because “he had created a catastrophic situation for Pakistan.”

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told the media that the PMLN lost in the Punjab Assembly vote of confidence due to the “doublespeak” of the chief minister who had earlier said he won’t take a vote of confidence or dissolve the assembly and then suddenly decided to go for the vote.

Sanaullah said, “We had the numbers and we will show we have the numbers. The coming elections will show PMLN’s strength and victory. We are fully prepared for the elections and we will show our strength with full force,” he told reporters outside the PMLN’s London headquarters after Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz had left for home.

Rana Sanaullah said that on Friday and weekend there will be more meetings and that the party’s election campaign will be kicked off according to the guidance given by Nawaz Sharif.

He confirmed that Maryam Nawaz will return next week to Pakistan.

About the return of Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan, he said, “It is understood Mian Nawaz Sharif will return and he will lead the party’s election campaign. The legal formalities regarding his return were also discussed and some steps will be taken in this regard.

“MNS return is critical as he is the leader of the party, he has the vote and support of the people. There is no doubt that Nawaz Sharif is vital for Pakistan,” Rana Sana said.

Rana Sanaullah said reports that there were differences with Shahed Khaqan Abbasi were false and Abbasi was very much part of the party. “There are no differences and Mr Abbasi is committed to the party and he is very much part of the party,” he said.