MULTAN: Veteran politician Javed Hashmi has alleged that some generals, including former army chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani and Inter Services Intelligence ex-head Gen Shuja Pasha used Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan for their vested interests, demanding court martial of these army officers.

Talking to the media here on Thursday, Mr Hashmi said: “A retired general used Imran Khan (in a bid) to win extension in his service.”

He said the “umpires” had no role in the wrong decisions Imran Khan took, adding that the act of one general did not enjoy the support of entire institution of army.

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The former president of PTI said the Judicial Commission’s verdict had darkened Imran Khan’s political future, adding that and he (Hashmi) had warned his then party chief that his decisions would end his politics.

“Imran Khan made the PTI and he is now destroying it,” he said.

‘Some generals used PTI chief for their vested interests’

Mr Hashmi said the ‘establishment-backed parties’ had no role in future politics of Pakistan, nor martial law would be ever imposed in the country again.

He said Mr Khan should accept commission’s verdict the way he had announced earlier and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif too should not make the issue a matter of prestige. The decision had changed the electoral history of the country and a new era of strong democracy had ushered in, he added.

“I have my sympathies with the youth that came forward on the call of Imran Khan,” he said.

He said during dharna the Parliament House was attacked despite army chief Gen Raheel Sharif’s assurance that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would resign if poll rigging was proved.

He said the entire political leadership of the country, including Imran Khan, should come forward to resolve the issues of the masses as now it had been proved that no organised rigging was committed and no one’s mandate stolen.

He alleged that though rigging was committed during the by-election he lost but he accepted the results “for the sake of democracy”.

He said that he had invitations from both PPP and PML-N to join the parties but so far had not taken any decision in this regard.

He said the chances of PPP’s revival in national politics were bright but it needed efforts.

He lauded Gen Raheel Sharif’s role for strengthening of democracy in the country.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2015

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