Tag: General Bajwa

  • ‘Waade, tarle, minnaten,’ What did Gen Faiz do to become the next Army Chief?

    ‘Waade, tarle, minnaten,’ What did Gen Faiz do to become the next Army Chief?

    The arrest of former spy master General (retd) Faiz Hameed came as a surprising development on Monday evening, taking most analysts by surprise. Geo’s Shahzeb Khanzada asked the Defence Minister of Pakistan, Khawaja Asif, whether Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid sent messages to Mian Nawaz Sharif about his ambitions of becoming the army chief. In reply, Asif revealed, “He offered numerous assurances to Mian sb and was constantly sending messages in a bid to gain power.”

    “I cannot even tell you what kind of promises and oaths he undertook to assure them [Nawaz Sharif] – all in the lust of power and ambition,” said Asif.

    Asif lamented that when “people become blind in a bid to get power, it always ends badly,” referring to the detention of the former spymaster and court martial proceedings against him for misuse of authority.

    “They [General Bajwa & General Faiz] resisted till the last moment when the government appointed General Asim Munir. General Bajwa presented many options for the next COAS while General Faiz was campaigning for himself. Bajwa had abandoned Faiz in the last days,” revealed the defence minister.

    Khawaja Asif also stated that Faiz Hameed was involved in political events following his retirement in 2022.

    “Knowing him a little bit, he never refrains from muddling the waters. Especially [in Faiz’s case] a person who has exercised unlimited power and he has to take the back seat,” he said.

    “We can say he [Faiz] had the role of strategic adviser in the May 9 events. I can’t say that with certainty but the events and circumstances are pointing towards him,” he added.

  • Journalist who was allegedly involved in Gen Bajwa’s tax data leak returns home

    Journalist who was allegedly involved in Gen Bajwa’s tax data leak returns home

    Senior investigative journalist Shahid Aslam took to Twitter to announce his release from the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for his alleged part in leaking the personal tax data of former army chief General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    In a series of tweets, he thanked his colleagues within the media community.

    He said, “Thanks everybody including the media community particularly @UmarCheema1 @AzazSyed @matiullahjan911 @Fahdshehbazkhan @AmirZia1 @AnsarAAbbasi @AsadAToor and my lawyer @MianAliAshfaq for the unprecedented support on my illegal arrest by @FIA_Agency and those who had ordered.”

    After Aslam’s arrest, many journalists came forward for his defence.

    On January 18, the Islamabad sessions court granted bail to him after being in custody for four days.

    On January 14, Aslam was sent on a two-day physical remand to FIA over his alleged involvement in this matter.

    ‘Dehshatgardon ki tarhaan mujhe uthwaya hai’; journalist who was allegedly involved in Gen Bajwa’s tax data leak lashes out

    Bol News journalist Shahid Aslam, talking to the media, has categorically said that he has nothing to do with former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tax data leak.

    The journalist directly blamed Director General (DG) Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Mohsin Butt for picking him up from his house “like a terrorist”. According to him, 20-25 men were sent to pick him up.

    “They [FIA] have mentally tortured me”, Aslam said.

    Aslam alleged that Mohsin Butt was given orders from higher up that he had to bring the journalist in.

    On Monday, a local court in Islamabad sent Aslam to jail on judicial remand.

    Journalist who was allegedly involved in Gen Bajwa’s tax data leak is handed over to FIA

    On Saturday, Aslam was sent to a two-day physical remand to FIA over his alleged involvement in this matter.

    Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabbir of the District and Sessions court announced the decision to hand over the journalist to the agency. During the proceedings, the reporter denied all charges against him, saying that there is no evidence against him.

    However, the prosecutor said the proof is in Aslam’s mobile phone and laptop, which he is not providing to the investigators. He claimed the journalist played the role of “facilitator” in the leak.

    Earlier that day, the agency arrested Aslam from Lahore and produced him in court.

    In November, a report by investigative news website FactFocus accused the army chief and his family of amassing assets worth Rs12.7 billion over the past six years. FactFocus has claimed that after the publication of the story, the traffic on its site was “disrupted” and the website had been “banned”.

    At the time, Finance minister Ishaq Dar had said that the leak was “clearly violative of the complete confidentiality of tax information that the law provides”.

    He also shared that he has received the interim report related to the leak of Gen (retd) Bajwa’s income tax records, adding that the authorities had traced some of the people involved in the act.

  • ‘Who will wipe my tears’: Twitter reacts to column about ‘General (Bajwa) Sb ki roohani azmatein ‘

    Journalist Javed Chaudhry has written an article about his meeting with Former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa. In the article he wrote that he met Bajwa on December 22.

    Describing how the former head of the military is spending his time after retirement, Chaudhary paints a very vivid description of the house. He said that General Bajwa’s wife has decorated the home with antiques that she had bought on cheap rates. He specifically remarks on the cleanliness of Bajwa’s house, seemingly impressed by it.

    We find out that the former COAS and his wife are like ordinary married couples, arguing over the AC thermostat.

    Moving on to serious matters, Chaudhary says that General Bajwa considers accepting the extension in his tenure as his biggest mistake and he feels very very sorry for it, but it is true that Imran Khan took this decision without taking him into confidence.

    “Woh chai bohot achi peete hain, cup mein cake rusk dabo kar khate hain aur apni iss saadgi ko enjoy karte hain.”

    The columnist says that he observed that General Bajwa is aggrieved over the narrative of Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq, the accusations of treason and the narrative of conspiracy. He said that he knows such details about his critics that if he spoke up, they will find nowhere to hide but he does not want to answer them and enjoy retired life with hid twin grandsons.

    Twitter is having all kind of reactions about the column. Have a look at some of them:

  • Bajwa wants to respond to Khan but can’t: Journalist Ansar Abbasi

    Bajwa wants to respond to Khan but can’t: Journalist Ansar Abbasi

    Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa cannot respond in public to the claims and accusations made against him by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan because of “codal limitations”, writes journalist Ansar Abbasi for Jang.

    The journalist revealed on Monday that it was not General (retd) Bajwa, but Imran Khan who controlled National Accountability Bureau (NAB) when he was the prime minister as he was paranoid about the Opposition and wanted to see them behind bars.

    Khan himself asked the ex-COAS to get a number of his opponents arrested. When Bajwa asked how he could take such a step, Khan gave reference of General Pervez Musharraf and his way of dealing with his political opponents. Upon hearing this, Bajwa reportedly reminded Imran that Musharraf was a dictator. Ansar Abbasi also disclosed that Bajwa told Khan to give him these orders in writing. However, Khan did not do that.

    The former army chief also warned Khan, advising him instead to focus on the economy instead of the Opposition.

    Abbasi has also written that “During his government’s tenure, Imran Khan himself has been heard complaining about the fear of NAB and its negative impact on the economy and civilian bureaucracy. But his urge to fix the opposition did not let him reform NAB.”

    Abbasi however does admit that General (retd) Bajwa is mostly blamed for keenly pursuing what is generally referred to as the “Imran Khan project”.

    He writes that when General (retd) Bajwa will speak, “what he tells will be no different from what former DG FIA Bashir Memon had alleged.” Memon claimed to have been pressurised by Khan to arrest his opponents.

    It is pertinent to mention that since his ouster, Khan has blamed the establishment and criticised them for being “neutral”. However, after General Bajwa retired in November, Khan has taken to criticising him directly. He has taken the name of General (retd) Bajwa on several occasions, saying that the retired army chief is responsible for ousting him.

    Days before retirement, General Bajwa, without taking any name, responded to Khan’s allegations.

    In what seemed like a criticism of Imran Khan, General (retd) Bajwa said that a false narrative was built and a campaign was started against the Pakistan army.

    “Many sectors used very inappropriate and undignified language while making the army the target of severe criticism. To criticise the army is the right of political parties and the people, but they should select their language carefully,” he said.

  • ‘General Faiz ne hamaaray sath ziyaadtiaan ki’: CM Pervaiz Elahi says former DG ISI was against him

    ‘General Faiz ne hamaaray sath ziyaadtiaan ki’: CM Pervaiz Elahi says former DG ISI was against him

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has accused former spy chief Faiz Hameed of wanting to put him and his son Moonis Elahi behind bars.

    In an explosive interview with ARY News’ programme ‘The Reporters’, Elahi said that General Faiz called the Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and asked him to put the father and son behind bars.

    “General [retd] Faiz ne humary sath ziyaatiyaan ki”, (General (retd) Faiz did grave injustices to us), Elahi said, emphasizing that the former head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief was “strongly against” him.

    He also revealed that he had taken up the matter with the ex-COAS General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa. Gen Faiz had then informed the army chief that the alleged political persecution had been ordered by Imran Khan.

    ‘Bajwa sahab humray mohsin hain’: CM Elahi

    Throughout the interview, the chief minister regretted Imran Khan’s remarks against General [retd] Bajwa. He reminded that General [retd] Bajwa is Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) benefactor and they shouldn’t be “ungrateful”.

    Elahi said that he told Moonis Elahi: “Bajwa sahab humray mohsin hain, aap ke mohsin hain, PTI ke mohsin hain. Khuda ka wasta hai un ke khilaf kuch na bolay” (Bajwa sahab is ours, yours and PTI’s benefactor, so don’t speak against him).

    He said he had reiterated the same in his meeting with PTI Chairman Imran Khan a day ago at Imran’s Zaman Park residence. “He [Imran] replied: ‘I’ve received many requests [not to speak against Bajwa],’ so I said: ‘Then accept them,’” Elahi added.

    “The injustice that Imran Khan did was making us sit beside him and criticising Bajwa sahab.”

    Elahi said General Bajwa met the Saudi king and the crown prince, went to Qatar to bring money for Pakistan and even worked with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support Khan’s government.

    He said that he felt “very bad but could not speak to Khan in privacy before he made a long speech and announced the dissolution of Punjab and KP assemblies on Saturday.”

    The chief minister also claimed that 99 per cent of the people within PTI were against Khan’s decision regarding the dissolution of assemblies.

    ‘Mei ne kaha GET OUT’, CM Elahi gives shut up call to PTI member for speaking against General Bajwa

    He also warned that he and his party won’t tolerate a word against ex-COAS. He said that he even gave a shut up call to PTI’s Sardar Hasnain Bahadar Dreshak for speaking against Gen Bajwa.

    “Mai toh cabinet mein bardaasht nahi karta, pehlay din hee keh diya tha. Dreshak ne cabinet mei bak bak shuru kardi. Mei ne kaha get out” (I told everyone on the first day that I wouldn’t tolerate this behaviour in the cabinet. When Dreshak started speaking nonsense, I said get out).

    Dreshak resigned from his post as the provincial minister for food on December 17. Earlier, it was reported that he and Elahi exchanged heated words during a cabinet meeting on Friday after which the minister left the room in protest and later sent his resignation.

    About Usman Buzdar

    CM Elahi took a direct jibe at former CM of Punjab, Usman Buzdar, stating that he had ruined the province and that Elahi sorted things out with four months of hard work.

    In response, Buzdar said that criticism of him is like criticising the PTI narrative. He added that he also has a lot to say but he has never spoken ill about anyone.

    Moonis Elahi met Imran Khan

    Following Elahi’s interview, Imran Khan called Moonis Elahi to his residence and discussed his father’s “harsh” statements. The younger Elahi explained his father’s, his own and his party’s stance with regard to Bajwa.

    On Sunday, Khan also said that he would not take any action against Gen (retd) Bajwa if he attains power again, saying his grievances with the former COAS were not a personal dispute.

    The former premier made these remarks during a meeting with a delegation of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.

  • President Alvi ‘warns’ Imran Khan about not talking against new army chief

    President Alvi ‘warns’ Imran Khan about not talking against new army chief

    President Dr Arif Alvi has allegedly strictly warned Imran Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to stop his party leaders and social media team from criticising the Pakistan military and the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, reports Journalist Ansar Abbasi for Jang.

    Sharing a screenshot of a WhatsApp message sent to party leadership and social media team, a PTI source said that the president also told Khan that for the new military establishment, the honour of the institution is like a red line, which must not be crossed.

    It has been revealed in the story that Imran Khan’s message was forwarded to the PTI Parliamentary Party’s WhatsApp group. In the message, Khan directed its social media team not to criticise the new army chief and made it clear that the instructions have to be followed very strictly. The person who shared this message on the group said that Khan’s directive should be followed by everyone.

    Similarly, in another group of party leaders and social media managers, Khan wrote, “Please ensure that there is no criticism of the new chief and the army.”

    When PTI leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhary was asked by the news outlet about Alvi’s message, he said that both the President and Imran Khan have made it clear that there will be no attack against the army and COAS Munir.

    He hoped that the new army chief would come up with new policies and hoped that he would not repeat the alleged anti-PTI policies of former COAS, General (r) Bajwa.

    It is pertinent to mention that Khan has directly targeted the former army chief multiple times for being “neutral”. He has also targeted others within the military, including senior officers of the Inter-Services Intelligence.

  • ‘Both Imran and General (r) Bajwa caused irreparable damage’: Hafiz Hamdullah

    ‘Both Imran and General (r) Bajwa caused irreparable damage’: Hafiz Hamdullah

    Hafiz Hamdullah, the spokesperson of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), has said that both Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and ex-Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa have caused irreparable damage to Pakistan.

    In a statement, he said, “It was ex-army chief Bajwa’s fault that he brought Khan into politics and it was Khan’s fault to give him [Bajwa] an extension. Both of their mistakes caused irreparable damage to Pakistan.”

    He pointed out that Khan is now accusing his mohsin (well-wisher). “Today you are accusing your Mohsin of the double game without any shame.”

    Commenting on the recent statements by PML-Q’s Moonis Elahi and Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi that the ex-chief had advised his party to back Khan during the no-confidence motion, Hamdullah stated that on the matter of General Bajwa, the father and son duo and Imran Khan are not on the same page.

    Turning his guns towards Elahi, he posed a question. “In the case of General (r) Bajwa, are you with Imran Khan or with Bajwa?”

    

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    Gen (r) Bajwa watches Pak vs England Test in Pindi
    
			
    Gen (r) Bajwa watches Pak vs England Test in Pindi
    
			
    The former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa, watched the fourth day of the first Test series between Pakistan and England on Sunday in Rawalpindi.
    

    The recently retired COAS handed over the military’s command to General Asim Munir earlier this week, marking the end of his six-year extended tenure.
    

    Having taken a 78-run lead in the runfest, England declared their second innings on 264-7 to set Pakistan an improbable victory target of 343 with four sessions to go.
    

    Harry Brook (87), Joe Root (73), and Zak Crawley (50) scored half-centuries for the visitors. While, the Shaheens: Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ali, and Zahir Mahmood claimed two wickets each for Pakistan.
    

    A day earlier, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam became the seventh batsman to smash a century.
    

    Last week, the Ben Stokes-led England cricket team finally embarked on their historic Test tour of Pakistan for the first time since 2005.
    

    Twitterati shared pictures of the ex-army chief at the Pindi cricket stadium.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    

    
https://twitter.com/ShahSheraz3/status/1599392299212935168?s=20&t=yS86XL7K0W9eLwsJf33ECg

    

    

    

    


    

    

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Asad Qaiser says giving extension to Gen (r) Bajwa was ‘mistake’
    
			
    Asad Qaiser says giving extension to Gen (r) Bajwa was ‘mistake’
    
			
    Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, has said that the then-Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s decision to extend the tenure of ex-chief of army staff (COAS) retired General Qamar Javed Bajwa in 2019 was “wrong”.
    

    When asked about background discussions leading to the extension, Qaiser responded: “It was the wrong decision, no matter why or how it was taken.”
    

    While making a candid admission that they [PTI] “regret the mistake”, Qaiser said, “Everyone [in the party ranks] is realising that it was a mistake to grant him (Bajwa) an extension.
    

    Gen (r) Bajwa was appointed as the army chief by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in November 2016. In 2019, then-premier Imran Khan approved an extension in his tenure as COAS for another term — just three months before he was due to retire.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Phir call doonga, dobara sarkon pe nikloonga’: Imran Khan breaks silence after his attempted assassination
    
			
    ‘Phir call doonga, dobara sarkon pe nikloonga’: Imran Khan breaks silence after his attempted assassination
    
			
    Former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan addressed the nation for the first time since his attempted assassination in Wazirabad. Khan is currently hospitalised in Shaukat Khanum Hospital, Lahore from where he spoke to the nation. 
    

    In the beginning, Dr Faisal Sultan, the former assistant to Khan on health, gave some details on Khan’s injuries. He showed X-rays of Imran’s right leg, he said that the tibia was damaged and was in fact fractured.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    ‘They had planned to kill me either in Wazirabad or in Gujrat’: Imran Khan
    

    After Dr Faisal’s briefing, Khan claimed that he was aware of the danger and of the plot to kill him. He said that he already had information about the attack and he knew that they had planned to kill him either in Wazirabad or Gujrat. 
    

    ‘Our MPAs were threatened and told that we have your dirty videos’: Imran Khan
    

    While talking about a handler in Islamabad, Khan said that his party’s Member of Provisional Assemblies (MPAs) were threatened.
    

    According to Khan, the handler said that “they need to stop supporting Imran Khan and the party, as they have dirty videos of them.”
    

    ‘Aik handler ajata hai Islamabad mein Major General Faisal, he says he will handle it all’: Imran Khan
    

    During his address, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan took a jibe at Major General Faisal. 
    

    He said that ever since General Faisal was posted in Islamabad, attack on PTI leaders started. “Media officials covering or speaking for PTI were stopped from doing so,” Khan said. 
    

    ‘I have a video with four names who made decisions behind closed doors against me’: Imran Khan
    

    Moreover, Khan claimed that four people plotted to kill him. He stated that the “handlers” were taking the decisions at the back but the people were turning out to his rallies in record numbers.
    

    “I have friendships within the institutions, I know people. I know what they did in these six months. I recorded a video with four names of people planning behind the doors against me,” said the former prime minister in his first address after being shot.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    ‘There were two shooters’: Imran Khan
    

    PTI chief Imran Khan described the attack on his life in Wazirabad. He said he was on the container when a “burst of bullets” was directed at him, causing him to get shot in the leg and fall down.
    

    “There was a burst of gunfire. I fell after being hit in the leg. Then there was another round of gunfire. If the two shooters had synchronised, I wouldn’t have survived,” revealed Imran Khan.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    ‘Had planned to murder me like Salman Taseer’: Imran Khan  
    

    The former premier alleged that the “government and its handlers” had planned to get him murdered in the same way former Punjab governor Salman Taseer was killed.
    

    “Firstly, they accused me of blasphemy, they made tapes and released them and PMLN projected it, I knew who was doing it.”
    

    “It is very easy to find out because this is a digital world. So first it was projected that I disrespected religion and then their plan was what they did in Wazirabad, that a religious extremist killed Imran Khan,” the PTI chief claimed. 
    

    

    


    

    

    

    ‘Mai aaj General Bajwa se sawaal poochta hoon’: Imran Khan
    

    PTI Chairman Imran Khan urged Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa to hold the “black sheep” in his institution accountable.
    

    Questioning Gen Bajwa, Khan asked whether the honour of the army would go up if this violence continues. He said there are black sheep dishonouring the army, which will not benefit the people of Pakistan.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    “Mr Y in Multan is the one who is calling my MPs and telling them to leave Imran Khan. Bajwa sahab, I am asking you to wake up. These people are after us all. I want to ask: Who is a traitor in Pakistan?,” said the PTI chief. 
    

    ‘Mein Zardari aur Nawaz ko challenge karta hoon, dono ko haraaoonga’: Imran Khan
    

    Imran Khan challenged former President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif “to try and contest the next general election against him”.
    

    “I will make sure that they will lose their constituencies”, he said. 
    

    ‘My house helpers were paid to conspire against me, our donors were scared, my phone lines were tapped’: Imran Khan
    

    Imran Khan said that several means were used against him like he was some enemy.
    

    “I asked FIA, police, election commissioner, and they all said someone else is calling the shots. My house help was tipped off, my phone calls being a prime minister were tapped and our donors were scared, ” he said. 
    

    ‘Pakistanis should keep protesting till these three people resign’: Imran Khan
    

    The former premier said that three others, separate from the ones who he had named in a tape stashed abroad, had plotted to kill him.
    

    “How did I find out? Insiders told me. The day before Wazirabad, they planned to kill me as they saw the number of people increasing using the script of religious extremism.”
    

    Khan named “Rana Sanaullah, PM Shehbaz Sharif and Major General Faisal” behind his attempted assassination however Khan provided no evidence in this regard. He also demanded their resignations. 
    

    “I have decided when I get well, I will be on the road and will give a call for Islamabad. These three people will have to resign. And I want all Pakistanis to protest till these three [Sanaullah, Shehbaz and General Faisal] hand in their resignations because otherwise, no investigation of my attack will take place as they call the shots, ” Khan concluded his address. 
    

    

    


    

    

    

    On November 3, Imran Khan survived an assassination attempt on Day seven of PTI’s ‘Haqeeqi Long March’ as his container moved through Punjab’s Wazirabad.
    

    Following the incident, the suspect/shooter, caught by police on the scene, said that he wanted to kill Khan because “he was misleading the public”.
    

    Condemnations started pouring in for Khan from his opponents as well as from the international community.