Khawaja Asif castigates 'coward' PTI for postponing Islamabad rally

• Asif says rifts among PTI evident after rally's postponement.
• Slams ex-ruling party for denying involvement in May 9 riots.
• Work being carried out on foreign agenda, says defence czar.

SIALKOT: Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif on Sunday claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had postponed the August 22 rally in Islamabad over "fear of rejection" from the masses.

The Imran Khan-led former ruling party put off its public gathering in the federal capital and rescheduled it for September 8 as the local administration revoked the no-objection certificate (NOC) and sealed roads leading to Islamabad.

PTI leaders Gohar Ali Khan and Azam Swati had claimed that the gathering was deferred on instructions of the PTI founder after they met the incarcerated former prime minister at 7am in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail ahead of the much-hyped public rally.

However, several party leaders — including Imran's sister Aleema Khan — contradicted the top leaders' statements.

Speaking to journalists today, the defence minister claimed that Imran would not have cancelled the rally, if it was meant to be "successful", dismissing the notion of the establishment's interference in the PTI's decision.

Currently, he also said, the PTI wants to build another "false narrative" to desperately save its diminishing popularity. 

Asif claimed that rifts within the PTI were evident following the abrupt cancellation of the rally, pointing out "contradictory remarks" of Imran, Bushra Bibi, Aleema Khan and Raoof Hasan.

Aleema had expressed a lack of confidence in the current PTI leadership, saying that they have no "real intention" of freeing the ousted premier from jail, who was removed from power via a parliamentary vote in April 2022.

In a short audio clip, she also questioned why Swati paid a visit to Imran early in the morning and who instructed him to do so.

Meanwhile, the defence czar also lambasted the former ruling party for denying involvement in the May 9 riots — wherein military installations came under attack after the former PM was arrested.

"The faces of the elements involved in the vandalism can be indisputably recognised in the videos," he said, referring to the PTI leaders who were recorded protesting on May 9, 2023.

In response to a question regarding Imran's meeting with Swati in Adiala Jail, Asif said: "Meetings or conversations in jail cannot remain a secret, your every movement is recorded."

"Work is being carried out on foreign agenda," he said, adding that they would vigorously fight it and defend Pakistan's national unity.

He also labelled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, 'Buzdar 2' and said he has even surpassed the former Punjab chief executive in terms of failure of governance.

"A blame game is underway in the PTI-led province as his [Gandapur] cabinet members are calling him [a] thieve," he added.

Responding to another question, the federal minister said that it doesn't matter whether the Democrats or the Republicans come into power in the United States. "We have to change our fate ourselves, the US cannot."