Neither army nor judiciary hatching plot: Asif

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Thursday said that neither the army nor the judiciary was hatching any conspiracy against the government as both the institutions were working within their respective domains.

He said, “Army and judiciary, both are respectable national institutions.” He urged the political parties to demonstrate respect for national institutions.To a question about the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report, he said, “We have expressed reservations about the process of JIT.”

He, however, said that the prime minister had made history for presenting himself and his family before the JIT.He said that some foreign forces were hatching conspiracy against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for making China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Gwadar Port a success.

"Nawaz Sharif had taken strong steps on important issues including making Pakistan a nuclear state, due to which international forces are against the PM," he said while talking to a private news channel.

Pakistan under the dynamic leadership and vision of Nawaz Sharif would also achieve success on economic front, he said. Pakistan had achieved many successes in war against terrorism, he said.

To a question, the minister said that India was using the soil of Afghanistan for terrorist activities in Pakistan. The defence minister said that enemies of Pakistan did not want to see progress, CPEC, Gwadar Port and other development activities in this region.

"Economic sovereignty was imperative for Pakistan to rid off foreign loans," he said. Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that Pakistan was making progress in every field and it would also emerge as economic power following the dynamic policies of Nawaz Sharif.