Tag: Absolutely not

  • PTI’s Asad Umar responds to DG ISPR’s recent interview

    PTI’s Asad Umar responds to DG ISPR’s recent interview

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) General-Secretary Asad Umar in a press conference along with former Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari demanded the formation of a judicial commission on the alleged “foreign conspiracy” to oust former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan from power.

    Umar said that it would be better for the army and the country if the Inter-services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General (DG) Major-General Babar Iftikhar doesn’t find it necessary to interpret political affairs again and again.

    Umar said Khan will again write to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to constitute a judicial panel and hold a transparent inquiry into the matter.

    “It was a clear threat. It was written that if the no-confidence motion fails, Pakistan would have to pay the price and if Imran Khan is shown the door, then Pakistan will be forgiven.”

    He said that it is the people’s right to know the facts and who was behind the move.

    Umar said that the party still wants this to be investigated by a judicial panel and an open hearing conducted.

    “[The] DG ISPR is right in saying that some of the military leadership representatives actually said that they cannot see any evidence of a conspiracy. Most of the civilian leadership said there was a conspiracy,” Umar said.

    Ever since Imran Khan said ‘absolutely not’ to the air bases, the conspiracy started: Mazari

    Meanwhile, Mazari said, “Ever since Imran Khan said ‘absolutely not’ to the air bases, the conspiracy started.”

    Mazari asked why the US diplomats met PTI MNA Noor Alam Khan.

    “We are compiling a list of who the US envoy met in Pakistan. Why did the ambassador meet Raja Riaz? Was it to discuss foreign affairs?”

    Military’s opinion on national security issues is not final word: Asad Umar

    Umar on Tuesday while speaking on Hum News political talk show with anchorperson Meher Bokhari said, “At the outset, you were asking me a question that since it is a matter of national security so the army has a final word on the issue, [but] with due respect, I don’t agree with this.”

    Umar’s comments were relevant to DG ISPR’s statement that no conspiracy was hatched to oust Khan. He said that the military leadership was present in the National Security Council (NSC) meeting and the participants were clearly briefed by the intelligence agencies.

    “[They were] briefed that there was no conspiracy or evidence of any kind [against the then government], nothing like that happened. Participants were told in detail that there was no evidence of any conspiracy,” said the DG ISPR.

  • ‘Ongoing negotiations between US and Pak for airspace’: US General

    ‘Ongoing negotiations between US and Pak for airspace’: US General

    The United States Central Command (Centcom) Chief, General Frank McKenzie said that the United States (US) and Pakistan were involved in ongoing negotiations over the use of a vital air corridor to access Afghanistan, reports Dawn.

    “Over the last 20 years we’ve been able to use what we call the air boulevard to go in over western Pakistan and that’s become something that’s vital to us, as well as certain landlines of communication,” he said.

    “And we’ll be working with the Pakistanis in the days and weeks ahead to look at what that relationship is going to look like in the future.”

    “We estimated an accelerated withdrawal would increase risks of regional instability, the security of Pakistan, and its nuclear arsenals,” Chairman of the Joint Chief General Mark Milley told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

    “We need to fully examine the role of Pakistan sanctuary,” the general said.

    “I believe Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban is going to become significantly more complicated as a result of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan,” said General McKenzie.

    However, in June, Prime Minister Imran Khan said, Pakistan will “absolutely not” allow the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to use bases on its soil for cross-border counter-terrorism missions after American forces withdraw from Afghanistan.

  • Pakistan denied US the chance to demand air bases: Moeed Yusuf

    Pakistan denied US the chance to demand air bases: Moeed Yusuf

    National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf has said that Pakistan has not given a chance to the United States (US) to demand airbases after withdrawal from Afghanistan, reports The News.

    In an interview with a private news channel, Moeed Yusuf said it was quite understandable that the US would be in search of airbases after leaving Afghanistan.

    He said an article appeared in New York Times about the issue at hand and Pakistan had to clarify its position.

    Yusuf said Pakistan’s position is that it cannot provide airbases to the US.

    In an interview with Jonathan Swan of HBO Axios, Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated Pakistan’s stance on the use of military bases and categorically stated that Pakistan will “absolutely not” allow the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to use bases on its soil for cross-border counter-terrorism missions after American forces withdraw from Afghanistan.

    Moeed said the New York Times story was not a coincidence as it created an atmosphere and Pakistan had to clarify its position on the issue.

    The NSA said the world should not consider Pakistan ‘free for all’.

    However, earlier this week, a senior western diplomat said that the US has “at no stage or at any level even asked” Pakistan for military bases, as its forces depart from Afghanistan.

    “Nobody in the entire US administration asked for bases, and yet there is so much focus on the issue in Pakistan,” said the official.