Imran and Elahi are unsure about Bajwa’s role in the no-trust investigation.
The Head Minister of Punjab has stated that the then Chief of Army Staff recommended his party to back the PTI. Imran has accused the army chief of playing a double game.
Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and Pervaiz Elahi, the chief minister of Punjab, appeared to be drifting further apart on Sunday over the role of Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, the then-army chief, during the no-confidence vote that Imran Khan lost in April.
Imran, a former prime minister, recently accused Gen Bajwa of playing a “double game” against his administration in interviews with the media. Hours later, Chief Minister Elahi claimed that in March of this year, the then-army chief had nudged his Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) in the direction of the PTI.
Elahi’s remarks during an interview with a private TV network supported his son Moonis Elahi’s claim that Gen. Bajwa had suggested that his PML-Q support the PTI during the motion of no-confidence against Imran Khan.
Elahi claimed that Gen Bajwa had advised him to support Imran after hearing about his hesitations to join the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the then opposition coalition, because he “did not trust the Sharif family.”
Elahi added that he was reluctant to accept the opposition’s offer to support the motion of no confidence in exchange for becoming chief minister of Punjab, which was led at the time by the Sharif family. As they had betrayed him in the past, he said, “I knew they [Sharif] would not let me continue [as chief minister].”
God abruptly changed our course and sent Bajwa Sahib to direct us. “Bajwa sahib advised me to proceed cautiously and that the path leading to Imran was better for me and my friends after I expressed my worries about the Sharifs and my lack of trust in them, Elahi told the interviewer.
In an interview last week, Moonis Elahi made similar comments. According to Moonis Elahi, Gen (retd) Bajwa showed him “the right path” to support the PTI. The chief minister acknowledged that Moonis was a key factor in persuading him to support the PTI rather than the PDM.
Parvez Elahi, the chief minister of Punjab, claimed on Sunday that former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa had persuaded the PML-Q to support the PTI and former prime minister Imran Khan, days after his son Moonis Elahi made a comparable claim.
In the interview that was broadcast last Thursday, Moonis complained about the unjustified attacks on Gen. Bajwa that were being made by “a certain section on social media.” He continued that he disagreed with the PTI and anyone else criticising the former army chief on this issue.
Just a few days after Moonis’ interview, Imran, a former prime minister, reiterated his accusations against Bajwa, saying the latter was conspiring against his administration. He suggested that it was possible that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, his brother, was instructed to join the PDM while Pervaiz Elahi was instructed to join the PTI.
When questioned about Moonis Elahi’s statement, Imran responded, “Moonis was asked to support Imran Khan, while the other one [Shujaat] was asked to go to PML-N [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz]. A double game was being played by Gen. Bajwa. Even the various PTI men were receiving conflicting messages, he continued.
In April of this year, Imran was forced from office by a motion of no-confidence from the then-opposition. At first, it seemed as though the PML-Q would support the PDM against Imran, but all of a sudden, Elahi reversed course and sided with Imran.
Following a court battle to depose Hamza Shahbaz as Punjab’s chief minister, the PTI did as promised and appointed Elahi to the position. Hamza was chosen as the new chief minister by a number of PTI rebel lawmakers. Later, the Supreme Court ruled that the votes cast by the rebellious members would not be counted.
Chief Minister Elahi also stated in the interview that he was prepared to dissolve the Punjab Assembly at Imran Khan’s request. He clarified, though, that he had suggested waiting until March. The opposition has a good chance to hold talks now, he continued.
