Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken on his “selector” Pakistani army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Khan has come out openly against the Pakistani military establishment for claiming political neutrality and in a shocking outburst, said, "only animals remain neutral."
This is the first time in Pakistan's history when a sitting Prime Minister has openly criticised the Pakistani army, which has been ruling the country directly or indirectly since it got independence from British rule. Khan is angry because he expected the army to support him as the opposition mounts pressure to oust him from the Prime Minister’s post.
In his salvo against the Generals, Khan said, “Animals do not distinguish between good and evil. Humans act according to their conscience. Good human beings pick a side and stand with the truth. And only animals remain neutral."
Khan’s outburst came a day after the most powerful Pakistani military establishment had warned him “not to drag them into his politics as the army has nothing to do with domestic politics,” making it clear that it is no longer propping up Imran Khan and it is “neutral”.
Attacking the Pakistani army chief, Imran Khan said that “General Qamar Javed Bajwa asked me not to call JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman “diesel” but General Bajwa, “I am not the one who is saying that. The people have named him diesel," defiant Imran Khan kept calling names and mocking the leaders of the opposition throughout his 45-minute speech on Friday.
Watch Video: Imran Khan crticising Pak Army chief Bajwa and opposition leaders
General Bajwa told me to not call Maulana Fazlur Rehman ‘diesel’, says prime minister Imran Khan. ‘I told General Bajwa that people call him ‘diesel’.
Crowd: ‘Fazlu, Fazlu’.Unbelievable stuff playing out. Must be shocking for the backers too. pic.twitter.com/4fKmJfHS1O
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) March 11, 2022
Declaring war on General Bajwa, Imran Khan gave a blunt message to his “selectors” to keep their advice to themselves. Khan warned that he would be more of a danger if he were not in office and said, “If I take to the streets, then you won’t find any place to hide."
PM reaches next level. 😂#AwaamWithKaptaan #ReadyForDChowk pic.twitter.com/zabhMbt0I2
— PM Imran Khan (@ImrankhanPakis) March 11, 2022
According to Pakistani experts, the situation is tense and volatile because Imran Khan is well aware that his defeat in the parliament is certain.
“Imran Khan's strategy is to resist his ouster by violent means and drag the army into interventionist politics all over again. In other words, if he isn’t allowed to rule, his preferred alternative is to trigger political chaos in the country,” says Najam Sethi, Editor-in-Chief of The Friday Times.
Also Read: Keep us out from your politics' Pak Army warns PM Imran Khan
