Khawaja Asif alleges Gen Faiz’s involvement in May 9 incidents

KARACHI: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that at the time when the appointment of the country’s next army chief was being considered, Gen Faiz Hameed, together with the relevant quarters, tried to get himself appointed as army chief.

Speaking on programme ‘Faisla Aap Ka’ with Asma Shirazi, the defence minister said: “When there was a race for becoming the [army] chief, Gen Faiz did not achieve success. He was at the 4th or 5th number on the list of merit. We made a decision based on merit. That decision is impeccable.”

However, he said Gen Faiz was hurt as the decision did not go down well with him, for he had tried with certain quarters for his appointment as army chief.

Khawaja Asif said Gen Faiz wished he would get the post at the time of Imran Khan, and even later when this process started he expressed this wish to different relevant political quarters. He said Gen Faiz established contacts with those quarters, explained his role in the past and gave assurances about the future.

“I think he took it as a setback,” the defence minister said, adding that Gen Faiz thought he should have been given the army chief’s post in continuation of the power he had enjoyed in the past five, six years.

Khawaja Asif said Gen Faiz wanted unlimited, absolute power, as he previously had unbridled power. When Gen Faiz was not made army chief, he decided to use the PTI’s agitated state of mind as he thought the party was reckless and the government was weak, he added.

The defence minister said it was his political conclusion that Gen Faiz had a role in identifying and pointing out the locations of military installations that were attacked by PTI workers and leaders on May 9.

In the entire process, he said, Gen Faiz directly or indirectly gave his opinion and remained part of the decision-making.

However, people close to Gen Faiz deny these allegations and say that in the court of law he will defend himself if any evidence is presented against him.