Endorsing Moonis’ claim, Elahi claims Gen (retd) Bajwa’showed the way’ to support the PTI.

Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi revealed on Sunday that it was former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa who asked the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) to support the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) when a no-confidence motion was moved against then-Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Elahi’s remarks come after his son, PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi, said that General (retd) Bajwa advised them to support the PTI.

He insisted that both the PTI and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had made them offers, but Gen (retd) Bajwa urged them to back the Khan-led party.

Elahi supported Moonis’ claim in an interview with a private TV channel, saying, “God changed our path at the last moment when they were heading towards PML-N and sent Gen (retd) Bajwa to show us the way.”
He insisted that Gen (retd) Bajwa advised them that joining the Khan-led party is the better option.
In response to a question, Elahi stated that he received offers from both camps PTI and PDM but chose Khan based on the advice of the former army chief.
According to the chief minister, his son Moonis had also suggested siding with the PTI. In his previous interactions with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, CM Elahi stated that he was always concerned about the Sharifs “lying.”
“I worked for the Sharifs for 18 years, and they were always lying to us.” “I would [often] say the Sharifs won’t let me do anything for the province,” he said, recalling his discussion with the “institution” about who to support after the no-confidence vote.

“When we discussed it with the institution, they suggested that we consider what was best for us. When a situation arises, we consult the institution,” Elahi said, adding that the institution told them that choosing PTI was a “respectable and better option.”
He insisted that the PML-Q was guided by the institution’s kindness.
The chief minister stated that his party has always supported all of the institution’s chiefs and has never issued a statement against them.
In response to a question about whether PML-Q supremo Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has had similar interactions with the institution, Elahi stated that he has not spoken with General (retd) Bajwa.
Punjab’s chief minister went on to say that neither the PTI chairman nor the ex-army chief had engaged in a “double game.”

“Circumstances and events place one in a position where no decision can be made.” “The decision could be correct or incorrect,” he said, emphasising that both the PML-Q and Khan’s decisions were correct.

In response to his stern remark about Khan’s close ties to the establishment, he stated: “The thing is, I said “nappy” out of frustration. It also harmed me.”

Elahi argues for the status quo until March.
In the midst of the political uproar over Imran Khan’s announcement of the dissolution of the assemblies, the Punjab chief minister stated that nothing would happen in the next four months.
“Talks were the best option at the time,” he said, adding that the assembly’s dissolution is contingent on how the Centre behaves (with the province).
He stated that talks on reforms and the Election Commission should continue until March.
People “who matter” will make them sit and talk, and we will do what we have promised.

Usman Buzdar as Chief Minister
The PML-Q leader revealed the nomination of Usman Buzdar as Punjab chief minister, along with Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed and Jahangir Tareen Buzdar.
He claimed that if Lt-Gen Faiz had agreed to some of his proposals, the three to four years wasted on administrative problems (in Punjab) would not have occurred.
An FIR has been filed in connection with the Imran Khan attack.
Concerning the dispute between the Punjab government and the PTI over the non-registration of the first information report (FIR) on the attack on Imran Khan in Wazirabad, the Punjab Chief Minister stated that the former premier has no grievances against them.
“We had requested that they read the Constitution. We are unable to file a FIR against judges or army officers at this level.”

‘The biggest mistake was granting an extension to Bajwa.’
A day earlier, for the first time since working with former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa for three and a half years, the PTI chief stated, “Giving extension to him [Gen Bajwa] was my biggest mistake.”
“I would believe anything ex-COAS General Bajwa said.” “I would tell him that we are both thinking about the country; our goal is the same to save the country,” Khan added.
The former prime minister went on to say that he didn’t understand how he was being lied to and betrayed.

“I was aware of a game being played in the last few days and also received a report from the Intelligence Bureau (IB),” Khan said, adding that his informant from the IB would notify him verbally rather than in writing due to fears.

Khan accused the ex-army chief of betrayal, claiming that whenever he questioned Bajwa about the conspiracy, he was told that they wanted continuity.

The former prime minister complained to Bajwa that his allies were implying that the army was forcing them to change their loyalties, while you were claiming that forces were “neutral.”

He revealed that leaders from the MQM-P and other parties had also been informed about the role of ex-COAS Gen Bajwa.

“We were astounded that they were telling me something different and that we were getting different signals from there [allies],” Khan explained.

PM Shehbaz Sharif chastised PTI Chairman Khan for seeking power even if it meant undermining the country’s foundations.

“Imran’s recent diatribe against parliamentary democracy is the latest in a series of attacks that fly in the face of how democracy functions in modern nation-states,” the premier said in a tweet.

PM Shehbaz believes that the sole goal of his politics is to reclaim power by any means necessary.

“His (Khan’s) politics are aimed at achieving power even if it means undermining the foundations on which this country stands,” the prime minister stated.

In response to Khan’s statement that the extension granted to the former chief of army staff was a “big mistake,” Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique asked earlier today, “If giving the extension was a mistake, why was it offered again?”