Khawaja Asif seeks court martial of Gen Bajwa over 2018 political turmoil

New Delhi: Former Army Chief of Pakistan Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa should face a court martial for abusing his authority and dislodging civilian governments in the country, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said.

He stated that Gen Bajwa was responsible for the political upheaval of 2018 and “must be tried for what he did to this country.”

The Defence Minister holds the former Army Chief responsible for the ouster of the Nawaz Sharif government in 2018 for his alleged involvement in the Panama Papers case. He was disqualified from public office for life by the Supreme Court.

Asif stated that the trial was a sham and that he was not given adequate time to present his case. Everything was done by the Supreme Court at the behest of the then Army Chief.

Nawaz Sharif had to resign as Prime Minister after the court verdict.

Ironically, it was Khawaja Asif and his party, the Muslim League, that supported giving a three-year extension to Gen Bajwa as Army Chief.

On August 19, 2019, Prime Minister Imran Khan gave him a three-year extension due to the “regional security environment.”

It is interesting to note that Gen Faiz Hameed, who served as chief of Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency (ISI), is already facing a court-martial on charges of engaging in political activities. His trial has concluded, and the verdict may be delivered anytime. This was the first time in Pakistan's history that a court-martial was initiated against a former intelligence chief.

On security issues, the Defence Minister criticised the KP government’s approach to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban, stating that Pakistan remains in a “state of conflict” with Afghanistan due to cross-border terrorism.