ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif responded angrily on Thursday to his predecessor Imran Khan’s infamous remarks about “splitting Pakistan into three pieces” and declared Khan “unfit” for any public position following his new statements.
In an interview with Bol News on Wednesday, Khan discussed, among other things, the possibility of the country’s dissolution if the proper decisions are not taken.
Shehbaz Sharif, who is on an official visit to Turkey, took strong exception to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader’s choice of language in the interview, particularly his comments about the country’s division. He accused him of “making naked threats against the country” and warned him against “talking about the division of Pakistan.”
“While I am in Turkey signing contracts, Imran Niazi is publicly threatening the nation. If such proof was necessary, Niazi’s most recent interview is ample evidence that he is unfit for public service.” The PM tweeted.
“Do your politics, but don’t cross the line and talk about Pakistan’s partition,” he said.
According to Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, the former prime minister stated in an interview that he did not have ultimate control as prime minister and that “everyone knows where the real power lies” in the country.
Khan, who purportedly came to power in 2018 with the support of the military, is the only Pakistani prime minister to be removed by a vote of no confidence in Parliament. Shehbaz Sharif of the PML-N replaced him.
The Pakistan Army, which has controlled the coup-prone nation for more than half of its 73-plus years of existence, has had substantial sway over security and foreign affairs until recently. However, the military has repeatedly denied participation in politics.
When asked to recall the events of the night of the no-confidence vote against him, who was issuing orders, and who had obstructed the cases against the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders, Khan stated that his government had been “weak” when it came to power and had to seek coalition partners, adding that if the same situation arose again, he would opt for reelections and seek a majority government or none
“Our hands were bound. We were extorted from every direction. We possessed no power. Everyone in Pakistan is aware of the power structure, thus we had to rely on them “He stated without further explanation to who he was referring.
In a separate statement published on the PML-Twitter N’s account, the premier said that Imran’s comments proved that the PTI chairman was “engaged in a conspiracy, not politics.”
Khan, he added, was sowing “chaos” due to his “frustration and ill mindset,” and his words were comparable to those of Pakistan’s adversaries. Shehbaz stated, “This is not a statement, but a plot to ignite anarchy and split in the country.”
“Losing power does not mean you wage war on Pakistan, its unity, and its institutions,” he added, advising Imran not to “attack” the country’s federation and institutions. “Do not exceed the boundaries [established by the law and the Constitution].” Earlier, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari condemned Khan’s statements “Imran Khan, in our world, power is not everything. Be courageous and learn to conduct politics on your own two feet, Zardari was cited as advising the PTI leader via the PPP’s Twitter account, adding that “splitting” Pakistan would not be possible “as long as we and our future generations survive.”
In an interview, the former prime minister warned that if Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is eliminated, the country will fail and the international community will demand denuclearization, as Ukraine did in the 1990s.
Khan stated that Pakistan would be split into three pieces if it lost its nuclear deterrent capabilities. “If the proper judgments are not made at this moment, the nation will commit death,” he said. Maryam Nawaz Aurangzeb, Minister of Information, also criticised Khan’s statements.
Aurangzeb described Khan’s mental condition as “the last stage of insanity” and stated, “Such a person walking freely in Pakistan is hazardous, as he has repeatedly demonstrated.” The former prime minister’s statements, which were also considered in the Senate on Thursday, were described as having sparked “fear” in the nation.
During his presentation to the parliament, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stated that Wednesday’s statements could not have been made by a former holder of Pakistan’s highest public position unless there was a “plot.”
He stated, “This is a question of Pakistan’s security.” The manner in which the former prime minister talked endangers national security. Senator Asif Kirmani, after stating that Khan had “bipolar illness,” said, “Such patients are treated with electric shocks.” Leader of the PPP, Yousuf Raza Gilani, stated: “As a Pakistani, you shouldn’t state that the nation would divide into three parts. Then, to assert that the institution or the army will be annihilated, [our] adversaries make the same claim. Then to assert that the nation would go bankrupt and our nuclear assets will also be confiscated is unacceptable.”
