LAHORE: Former prime minister Imran Khan defended his plan to relocate thousands of fighters from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to the country following the fall of Kabul in 2021, a day after parliament distanced itself from the decision to initiate talks with militants and resettlement plans.
The chairman of the PTI made a speech on Wednesday in which he blamed the current PDM government for stalling the peace process and made a connection between his departure from power and a rise in terror attacks across Pakistan.
Mr. Khan stated, “When the Afghan war ended… some 30,000 to 40,000 Pakistani tribal fighters wanted to come back,” adding that all parties involved, including local leaders, had been informed about their relocation to the country.
There were two choices for the PTI government: either get along with them and let them settle in the province or kill them all. He said, “These returning fighters had many issues that needed to be resolved for peace in the province,” adding that the process was ongoing when he was removed from power by the “infamous regime coup.”
He asserted that “they were completely clueless on how to deal with the resettlement issues and left the problem to rot.”
The Peshawar bombing, which resulted in the deaths of 101 people and injured more than 200, exemplifies the tragic state of the situation at this point. He asserted, however, that a tragic incident is still being used for political gain.
The former premier stated, “Ask me questions about the period when I was in power,” in response to criticism leveled at the PTI chief for the policies implemented by his government between 2018 and 2022. When I’m not in charge, I can’t be held accountable for what happens.
Consider the variety of caregivers that were imposed. He asserted that those who are supposed to be neutral are not only biased against the PTI but are also attempting to crush it. It is against the Constitution that the governors have not set a date for elections.
If attempts were made to postpone the elections that were supposed to take place in Punjab and KP within 90 days of the dissolution of the provincial assemblies, Imran Khan issued a warning about Article 6 (procedures for high treason).
Mr. Khan asserted that the PPP leader paid “a splinter group of terrorists” to eliminate the former president, reinforcing his allegations against him. I am aware that this is a confirmed report. These agreements are not written down. He added that the “next attempt on his life” would be disguised as terrorism. “I was told that attempt on my life would be given the color of religious fanaticism and that is exactly what happened later,” he said.
