General Qamar Javed Bajwa told the political leadership of the country that previous Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif always treated him with respect and never refused any cash or aid needed by the Pakistan Army, according to PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif.
The PML-N stalwart revealed that the army chief had discussed the previous premier’s behaviour with him and the armed forces.
“The current chief of army staff said [previous] prime minister Nawaz Sharif has always appreciated me,” Shehbaz said.
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In front of dozens of political party officials, Shehbaz quoted COAS as saying, “Whenever I (COAS) asked for military work or cash, he [Sharif] never refused me.”
The PML-N president made the revelation after former PMSharif received an unequivocal apology from Broadsheet LLC CEO KavehMoussavi. Shehbaz claimed Moussavi’s comments not only “vindicated” Sharif and the Sharif family, but also revealed the witchhunt.
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He did not say when the army chief made these remarks to the country’s top authorities. The party insiders said the COAS made the claims in various “security briefings” held inside and outside parliament.
According to insiders, the army chief’s remarks came before former PM Sharif’s fiery address in Gujranwala in October 2020, or before he barred party leaders from meeting with army and intelligence officers.
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In October 2020, Sharif accused the army leader of overthrowing his government to install a “selected and incompetent” prime minister (Imran Khan) in Gujranwala via video link from London.
He accused Gen Qamarand ISI commander Lt General FaizHameed of manipulating elections, deposing his government, stifling the media, intimidating the judiciary, and persecuting opponents.
Former PML-N supremo Sharif has already forbidden PML-N leaders from meeting with top military and intelligence officials in September 2020.
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