• The information minister said the scope of the investigation into Faiz would be widened and urged other agencies to follow the army’s example of “self-accountability.”
• Imran alleged that the transfer of former ISI chief to Peshawar unit was “part of a conspiracy” against the government.
• PML-N Senator says talks will only take place if PTI shows seriousness
ISLAMABAD: The government on Saturday accused PTI founder Imran Khan along with a retired general and others of hatching a political conspiracy to sow anarchy and discord in the country, with the information minister hinting that the scope of investigation against General Faiz Hameed and other “conspirators” would be widened in the coming days.
Meanwhile, just days after distancing himself from the former spy chief currently facing a court martial, Khan appeared to back up allegations that he had a close relationship with the retired general and said the retired general’s transfer to the Peshawar unit was part of a conspiracy against the PTI government.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, the information minister said following the arrest of General Faiz Hameed, the army was conducting a transparent investigation as it had its own internal accountability mechanism and the army believed in self-accountability.
Referring to the arrests made in the case, the Information Minister hinted at further steps being taken in the coming days and alleged that Imran Khan had conspired with these people to spread anarchy in the country.
“This was a political alliance led by PTI founder and had links to General Faiz and other accomplices,” he said, adding that the scope of the investigation would definitely be widened.
“Whether it is Saqib or Nisar, things will go ahead with transparency,” he said, referring to former CJP Saqib Nisar, who has accused the PML-N of supporting the PTI government and targeting political opponents.
Tarar claimed that evidence had emerged to show that the PTI founder was “in touch” with the conspirators at the time of the no-confidence motion and even after his imprisonment, and continued to exchange messages with this “immoral political alliance”.
He stressed that other agencies should exercise the same self-accountability shown by the military.
Faiz’s transfer a “conspiracy against PTI”
Meanwhile, Imran Khan, speaking to reporters after the £190 million corruption hearing at Adiala Jail, said he believed the transfer of retired General Faiz Hameed from his post as Director General of Joint Intelligence to Corps Commander Peshawar was part of a plot hatched to topple his government.
Khan alleged that this was done by former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa on the orders of Nawaz Sharif.
The PTI is still demanding a judicial probe into the May 9 incident but the administration seems reluctant, he alleged.
He also asserted that efforts were on to secure a two-thirds majority for the ruling coalition and an extension to the term of the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Khan also announced on Friday his intention to run for chancellor of Oxford University while in prison.
“There will be no talks until PTI gets serious.”
PML-N senator Irfan Siddiqui suggested his party would no longer “repeatedly invite” the PTI to talks, but reiterated the PTI’s need to take the talks seriously.
“We have repeatedly said, ‘Look, you have entered the House in any capacity, so at least sit together at that level and try to resolve the issues,'” Siddiqui said in an interview with Dawn News.
“(But) they don’t want to talk and I think we will no longer be repeatedly calling on them from the rooftops to ‘come and talk’,” the politician added.
However, he went on to say that if the PTI was “serious”, the PML-N and its coalition partners would “consider opening the door for talks with the PTI”.
The senator stressed that holding a dialogue depends on when the PTI realises that “it should talk to politicians and not the military”.
He added that Mahmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and leader of the opposition alliance, “will succeed in making (the PTI) understand” that dialogue between the parties was necessary.
Malik Asad in Islamabad contributed to this report.
Published in Dawn on August 18, 2024
