ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said the government will not give in to pressure from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) if the party goes ahead with its long march. He warned that Imran Khan should not expect any relief through such tactics.
Speaking to reporters at Parliament House in Islamabad, Asif also accused the party of working hand in hand with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Khawaja Asif PTI Remarks on the Long March
“PTI has declared war against Pakistan together with the TTP,” the defence minister said. He called it the party’s “wishful thinking” to believe it could blackmail the government by staging a long march.
“The government cannot be blackmailed by them under any circumstances,” Asif said. He added that “attacking Islamabad” had become a routine for PTI, happening every two or three months.
Asif said that if the party resorts to blackmail, he sees “no relief for [Imran Khan] in the future.” The government, he stressed, will not offer concessions under pressure.
Questions Over the TTP and Afghan Taliban
The defence minister challenged PTI to clarify where it stands on the TTP and the groups backing it. “Show me a statement of theirs against the TTP or those who sponsor them,” he said, pointing to the Afghan Taliban leadership. “The rulers of Kabul are patrons of the TTP. Show me one statement of theirs against them.”
He alleged that terrorists were receiving funding and moving openly in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to Asif, the provincial government has no writ in those areas.
“Isn’t the current chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa present there?” he asked. He described the situation as “dishonesty against the country and Pakistan” and said the alleged links and planning between the groups were becoming clear.
Asif also referred to an earlier remark by a senior PTI leader about causing destruction in Islamabad. In his view, the comment reflected the party’s real sentiments.
Asif’s Message to PTI and Achakzai
The defence minister urged the party to come to the negotiating table, then go home and look after its own province. “Come to the negotiating table and return home; take care of your province,” he said. He asked PTI to stop backing terrorists and to cut off their financing.
“Forget that you will force us to accept your demands at gunpoint,” he added.
Asif also commented on opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s recent statement about visiting Nawaz Sharif’s Murree residence. “Nawaz Sharif has an old relationship with him. Mahmood Khan is a second-generation political worker,” he said.
He said he would certainly ask Achakzai to play his role and urged him to “talk about Pakistan” and its integrity. “Let everyone jointly fight the Afghanistan-sponsored terrorists,” Asif said.
