Lahore, Jun 25 (PTI) Pakistan is currently witnessing “full-fledged martial law and complete dictatorship and not a hybrid system,” jailed former prime minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday, referring to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's comment about a “hybrid model” in the country.
The criticism by Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), comes a day after some of the PTI leaders said the defence minister has admitted that the PML-N's government is a “puppet regime.” Reacting to Asif's statement, Khan said in a post on X: “There is no hybrid system in Pakistan at the moment. What we are witnessing is full-fledged martial law and complete dictatorship.” “A clear example of martial law in Pakistan is that US President Donald Trump chose to meet General Asim Munir instead of (Prime Minister) Shehbaz Sharif or (President) Asif Ali Zardari, as even he knows that all power lies with Munir,” Khan said, referring to Munir's meeting with Trump at the White House on June 18.
“That’s why I have always said that negotiations must be held with those who hold real authority,” Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023 in multiple cases, pointed out.
Defence Minister Asif, who is also a close aide of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, on June 20 said the country is being governed under a “hybrid model” in which the military enjoys the major power share.
He also said that the PMN-L is happy to be part of this model and had the party's head Nawaz Sharif followed that in the 1990s, he might not have been overthrown.
Asif also said that the hybrid model system was a practical necessity until Pakistan is out of the woods as far as economic and governance problems are concerned.
Some PTI leaders on Tuesday said the defence minister, in fact, has admitted that the PML-N's government is a “puppet regime” installed through a stolen mandate of the PTI.
“Khawaja Asif’s statement about the hybrid regime is a slur on democracy,” said a joint letter written by former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, former Punjab ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and ex-Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema from Kot Lakhpat jail.
“The lust for power was too much for the Sharifs and PML-N that in connivance with the Election Commission of Pakistan and interim government a ‘fraudulent Form-47 government’ came into being — now being called as a hybrid form of government,” the letter says.
“As though this insult was not enough, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a hurry, also recommended the American president for a Nobel peace prize,” the letter said.
Khan, Sharifs' arch rival, has maintained since last year that the February 8 general elections witnessed the ‘Mother of All Rigging’ that deprived his party, the PTI from forming the government. Khan has also called the PML-N and its ruling partner, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as “mandate thieves.” PTI MZ NPK NPK
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Pak's defence minister's 'hybrid model' comment draws heavy criticism from former PM Imran Khan
Lahore, Jun 25 (PTI) Pakistan is currently witnessing “full-fledged martial law and complete dictatorship and not a hybrid system,” jailed former prime minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday, referring to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's comment about a “hybrid model” in the country.
The criticism by Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), comes a day after some of the PTI leaders said the defence minister has admitted that the PML-N's government is a “puppet regime.” Reacting to Asif's statement, Khan said in a post on X: “There is no hybrid system in Pakistan at the moment. What we are witnessing is full-fledged martial law and complete dictatorship.” “A clear example of martial law in Pakistan is that US President Donald Trump chose to meet General Asim Munir instead of (Prime Minister) Shehbaz Sharif or (President) Asif Ali Zardari, as even he knows that all power lies with Munir,” Khan said, referring to Munir's meeting with Trump at the White House on June 18.
“That’s why I have always said that negotiations must be held with those who hold real authority,” Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023 in multiple cases, pointed out.
Defence Minister Asif, who is also a close aide of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, on June 20 said the country is being governed under a “hybrid model” in which the military enjoys the major power share.
He also said that the PMN-L is happy to be part of this model and had the party's head Nawaz Sharif followed that in the 1990s, he might not have been overthrown.
Asif also said that the hybrid model system was a practical necessity until Pakistan is out of the woods as far as economic and governance problems are concerned.
Some PTI leaders on Tuesday said the defence minister, in fact, has admitted that the PML-N's government is a “puppet regime” installed through a stolen mandate of the PTI.
“Khawaja Asif’s statement about the hybrid regime is a slur on democracy,” said a joint letter written by former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, former Punjab ministers Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and ex-Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema from Kot Lakhpat jail.
“The lust for power was too much for the Sharifs and PML-N that in connivance with the Election Commission of Pakistan and interim government a ‘fraudulent Form-47 government’ came into being — now being called as a hybrid form of government,” the letter says.
“As though this insult was not enough, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a hurry, also recommended the American president for a Nobel peace prize,” the letter said.
Khan, Sharifs' arch rival, has maintained since last year that the February 8 general elections witnessed the ‘Mother of All Rigging’ that deprived his party, the PTI from forming the government. Khan has also called the PML-N and its ruling partner, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as “mandate thieves.” PTI MZ NPK NPK