Faiz, Bajwa responsible for Pakistan's current crisis: Nawaz Sharif

The former prime minister, while speaking to the journalists after a long time on Thursday evening, held the aforementioned ex-military men for spinning Pakistan around for their personal wishes and whims in the form of installing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in 2018.

He recalled his Gujranwala speech at the PML-N public gathering on October 16, 2020 where he directly accused the then chief of army staff Gen (retd) Bajwa and then-director-general Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen Faiz of rigging elections.

He had blamed the military top brass for installing PTI Imran Khan as the prime minister in violation of the constitution, removing his government, muzzling the media, pressurising the judiciary and victimising opposition politicians.

The former prime minister said that in his Gujranawala speech, he named the people responsible for the mess Pakistan was pushed into. "Lt Gen (retd) Faiz and Gen (retd) Bajwa were responsible for making it all about their personalities, wishes and desires," said Nawaz.

Two days ago, The News reported that Nawaz had decided to focus his attack on four persons for bringing Pakistan to near ruin — and these four individuals are retired judges Saqib Nisar, Asif Saeed Khosa, General (retd) Bajwa, Lt General (retd) Faiz Hameed and Imran Khan.

Nawaz told the journalists outside his son’s office that he didn’t mince facts when informing the Pakistani nation about the cruelty and injustice he and Pakistan had been subjected to. He said: “We have been treated unjustly and cruelly and it’s my responsibility to point that out.”

Nawaz further added that the people of Pakistan are well aware of the “faces and characters of the two retired generals who are believed to be behind implementing the Tabdeeli project originally envisioned by former intelligence chiefs General (retd) Shuja Pasha, General (retd) Zaheer-ul-Islam and their colleagues."

He said he had discussed Pakistan’s current situation with Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Senator Dr Afnan Khan, MNA Javed Lateef, and others after the interior minister arrived in London to hold talks with the party leader.

“Inshallah, all will be well. Pakistan will come out of the difficulties and we will make sure that happens. Our track record of progress is a witness and it’s not possible that we will not make that happen," he maintained.

Calling Khan a "mad man", Nawaz said: “Compare his [performance during the] four years of [PTI] government with four years of our government and you will see how happy and prosperous people were in two tenures and how he [Khan] destroyed Pakistan,” the former PM said.

Nawaz said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) took over the government after winning the vote of no-confidence to “save Pakistan from this madman” because “he had created a catastrophic situation for Pakistan.”

'Coming elections will show PML-N's strength'

Speaking on the occasion, the interior minister told the media that the PML-N lost the vote of confidence in the Punjab Assembly due to the “doublespeak” of the chief minister who had earlier said he won’t take a vote of confidence or dissolve the assembly and then suddenly decided to go for it.

Sanaullah said: “We had the numbers and we will show we have the numbers. The coming elections will show PML-N’s strength and victory. We are fully prepared for the elections and we will show our strength with full force”.

The minister revealed that more meetings will be held over the weekend and party’s election campaign will kick start according to the guidance given by Nawaz.

He confirmed that Maryam will return next week to Pakistan.

Commenting on the Nawaz’s return, he said: “It is understood Mian Nawaz Sharif will return and he will lead the party’s election campaign. The legal formalities regarding his return were also discussed and some steps will be taken in this regard.

“Nawaz’s return is critical as he is the leader of the party, he has the vote and support of the people. There is no doubt that he is vital for Pakistan.”

Sanaullah said reports regarding differences with Shahed Khaqan Abbasi were false, clarifying that Abbasi was very much part of the party. “There are no differences and Abbasi is committed to the party and he is very much part of the party,” he said.