KARACHI: President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday revealed that former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and his team helped Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Senate and during the elections as well.
The president’s remarks came during a wide-ranging conversation with journalists, leaders of the business community and foreign diplomats at a dinner on Saturday.
President Alvi, when asked why and when relations between Khan and Gen (retd) Bajwa soured, replied wittingly that he was still looking for the answer, but it was probably October last year and then it was April or May this year.
To a question regarding Khan’s allegations against former army chief, the president remarked that although the other side maintained that they had become neutral and they did not push people away, he believed there was some pushing away.
President Alvi added that during the PTI’s government, even people like Shireen Mazari had to concede they had no power when journalists were mistreated. The president went on to say that there was a lot of interference in the affairs of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He said politicians’ maturity needed to match with the situation.
Replying to a question whether Khan at any stage thought of sacking Gen (retd) Bajwa, the president replied: “No, I don’t think so. That was a rumour.”