Berates imported govt for alarming upsurge in terrorism in 10 months Says negotiations with TTP was Bajwa brainchild, not PTI strategy

DNA ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Dr. Shireen Mazari came down hard on the federal defence minister Khwaja Asif for making hue and cry and blaming PTI for imported government’s failure to rein in the alarming resurgence of terrorism in the country and said that being the defence minister, he was responsible for the failure of security policy. Dr. Shireen Mazari, in a statement on Monday, said that the imported government plunged the country into the worst crisis but instead of taking responsibility to fix their own wrongs, they blamed PTI government. She said that all the three armed forces came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence, Khawaja Asif; therefore, he was mainly responsible for the failure of the security policy. Dr. Mazari stated that Khawaja Asif was crying daily on the floor of the house and leveled allegations against PTI, who even did not know about the policies of the imported government. PTI Senior Vice President said that it was said that the negotiations with TTP was the strategy of the PTI government but she added that General (retd) Bajwa proposed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to hold talks with TTP. She further stated that afterwards, Imran Khan summoned a meeting on the matter, which was attended by cabinet members, elected representatives of ex-FATA, Swat and military leadership. Dr. Mazari revealed that the local elected representatives showed great concerns and reservations over the negotiations with the TTP. However, she stated that it was decided in the meeting that the military leadership would first take the local elected representatives into confidence in this regard. Dr. Mazari stated that it was decided in the meeting that the negotiations would only be held after reaching consensus between military leadership and the local elected representatives. However, she said that no progress was made, as no committee was formed because the PTI government was sent home, adding that the imported government neither made any progress on the issue nor ever anyone asked about the negotiations. Dr. Shireen Mazari dared that Khawaja Asif should have asked what happened to the negotiations and how terrorism returned to the country instead of leveling unnecessary allegations against PTI. She said that terrorism witnessed alarming upsurge in the country for the last ten months. “We asked the then Army Chief and DG ISI about the negotiations but Khawaja Asif did not have the courage to ask anyone a question on this important issue,” she added. Dr. Mazari went on to say that Khawaja Asif as Defense Minister should answer to the nation about intelligence failure and rising terrorism, besides the nation should be told what decisions Khawaja Asif and DG ISI have made in Kabul. She asked that a fence was built on Pak-Afghan border with the hard work of the army and the nation’s money, but why it was uprooted? “Our position was clear that negotiations would be proceed only after evolving consensus,” she maintained. Dr. Mazari state that instead of taking responsibility, Khawaja Asif kept on blaming the PTI government, adding that he should fulfill his responsibility as Defense Minister instead of making unnecessary hue and cry. She stated that imported government did nothing during the last ten months after seizing power through conspiracy except taking NRO and resorting to policy of vendetta against political opponents.