Pakistan Army chief's short-sightedness destroying peace in region: Imran Khan

Lahore, Sep 9 (PTI) Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has described Army chief Asim Munir's Afghan policy as flawed, saying the top general's short-sightedness is destroying the peace in the region.

The 72-year-old former cricketer-turned politician has been in jail for over two years in multiple cases. His party claims Khan's crime was to challenge the might of the military establishment.

"In an attempt to appease the lobby that opposes the current government in Afghanistan, Asim Munir, in his short-sightedness, is destroying the peace that was established in the region during our tenure. Where there should have been a strong relationship, things are being made worse," Khan said in a post on social media.

"It grieves me deeply that after decades of hospitality, our Afghan brothers are now being forcibly pushed out of Pakistan. At a time when Afghanistan has been struck by an earthquake, we ought to be helping them, not expelling them," he added.

He directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to go to Afghanistan, sit with them, and hold discussions regarding mutual issues and peace and security so that the situation can be prevented from deteriorating further.

He said the sham government of Shehbaz Sharif must answer that if Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz can travel to Japan and Thailand, why should the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa not be able to travel to Afghanistan for peace in his province? Khan said the ongoing military operations, drone strikes, and forced displacements of "our own people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are in reality an attempt to undermine Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s government that was formed with a public mandate".  He said Chief Minister Gandapur must firmly resist this operation.

"The people of the province are already devastated by floods. If drone strikes and military operations are not stopped, it will be a grave injustice," he said, adding that as long as this operation continues, the hardships of the people will increase and terrorism will intensify further.

He said he continues to be held in solitary confinement.

"Even family members and lawyers are barred from meeting me. I have not been allowed to meet my political colleagues for a year and a half. My message to Asim Munir is this -- no matter how much pressure you put on me, or which of my family members you throw into prison, I will neither bow down nor accept this oppression. I will continue my struggle for true freedom, come what may," Khan declared.  The PTI founder has accused Munir of imposing undeclared martial law in Pakistan and imposing a puppet government of Shehbaz Sharif by stealing the mandate in February last year. PTI MZ ZH ZH