‘Not in power anynmore’: Imran Khan castigates govt for shifting blame over rising terrorism

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Wednesday slammed the government for shifting blame over rising terrorism and berating his party for its policy towards the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP).

The government has claimed it was the PTI government’s policy to negotiate with the TTP that eventually led to the outlawed group’s strengthening in the country.

In November last year, the TTP ended its ceasefire and increased attacks — majorly on security forces — especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the government and armed forces vowing to fight back.

While there were sporadic attacks over the recent months across the country, Monday’s suicide blast in Peshawar’s Police Lines area mosque — that killed at least 100 people and injured over 200 — shook the nation, leading to severe flak on the incumbent government and its responsory criticism on the PTI.

“I am not in power anymore. Had I been in the government, then I would have been answerable,” the PTI chief hit out at the centre during his address to the nation, while also claiming that terrorism was under control during his tenure.

The PTI chief, while also mentioning that he wasn’t responsible for terrorism and rising inflation, said that he was devastated over the attack in Peshawar.

Khan — who was ousted from the government in April last year through a no-confidence motion — said those in power, and who ruled for 30 years before him, were responsible for the ongoing crisis.

“I feared instability in Afghanistan […] there were 30,000-40,000 fighters in Afghanistan. Then, a decision was taken by the parliament members and the armed forces that these fighters would be settled in Pakistan.”

The PTI chief then added that as he feared instability, his government tried to negotiate with the group to ensure that Afghanistan’s fallout does not affect Pakistan.

Khan claimed that had the coalition parties not removed his party from power, then the situation would have been completely different. “Why did they remove my government when they could not run the country?”

The PTI chairman added that the incumbent rulers’ only reason for coming into power was to get their corruption cases worth Rs1,100 billion “closed”. 

Khan added that his relationship with former army chief General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa was smooth, and they were on the same page for some time.

But then, Khan mentioned, that after the ex-army chief was granted an extension in his tenure in 2019, he wanted the PTI government to forgive the cases against then-opposition leaders. “I did not listen to him.”

The second bone of contention, he said, was the removal of Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid Inter-Services Intelligence chief. “There was a fear of war in Afghanistan which is why I wanted Faiz Hamid to retain his position.