Former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday kicked off his anti-government protest march to the capital with a speech at Lahore’s Liberty Chowk in which he slammed the chief of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for addressing a “political” press conference a day earlier.
In a rare public appearance on Thursday, DG ISI Lt. Gen. Nadeem Anjum criticized Khan over his criticism of the military and for portraying Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa as a “traitor” among his followers. This was the first time in the history of Pakistan that a sitting DG ISI addressed a press talk.
Khan, long believed to be close to the military, is considered to have fallen out with the army since his ouster via a parliamentary vote of confidence in April. Khan says the army should have intervened to save his government from what he calls a “foreign conspiracy” to remove him from office. The now ruling coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the military have both repeatedly denied allegations Khan was removed in a foreign-backed plot.
“You [DG ISI] said that you are apolitical, that we [army] are not involved in politics,” Khan said, addressing Gen Anjum. “DG ISI, I haven’t even seen Sheikh Rashid [local politician] conduct a more political press conference [than the one you addressed].”
“DG ISI, listen carefully, the things I know, I am staying silent for my institutions and the country. I don’t want to damage my country,” Khan said as the crowd cheered. “When we criticize [army], it is constructive and for your betterment.”
“I am saying this again, I can say a lot and can respond to you. But I don’t want the institutions to get weak.”
In remarks to journalists on Thursday, Anjum, who was dressed in civilian clothing, said he was aware that the media was “surprised by my presence,” but he could not remain silent while the military was being “targeted for no reason.”
“If you (Khan) are convinced that the head of your army is a traitor, then why did you praise him so much just in the recent past?” Anjum said. “If he was really a traitor in your point of view, then why do you still meet him behind closed doors?”
“Don’t do this, that you meet us in the dark of night behind closed doors to express your constitutional and unconstitutional wishes and then in the light of day call the same person a traitor.”
Activists and supporters of opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) dance before the start of an anti-government long march towards Islamabad to demand early elections, in Lahore on October 28, 2022. (AFP)
Since his ouster, Khan has held rallies around the country to call for fresh polls. In May, he marched his supporters to the federal capital to bring down the government but called off the protest after his supporters clashed with police. Since then, he has been threatening to launch another “long march” against the government.
“This march of mine, this is not for politics, this is not for elections or for personal gains,” Khan told the crowd. “It has one purpose, that I free my nation … that this nation’s decisions aren’t made in another country.”
“We will stay peaceful,” he added.
The government has warned the ex-premier it will deal with protesters with “an iron fist” if marchers break the law or resort to violence.
Activists and supporters of opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) dance before the start of an anti-government long march towards Islamabad to demand early elections, in Lahore on October 28, 2022. (AFP)
