Amid a rising crescendo over the timing of PTI’s long march and army chief appointment, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has spilled the beans and claimed that his predecessor Imran Khan came up with a “dialogue offer” via a businessman a month ago.

The dialogue offer, about which the premier spoke in detail in response to a question during a press conference where YouTubers were present, entailed two important matters, firstly the army chief appointment and the election date.

PM Shehbaz accepted the dialogue offer excluding the appointment of the chief of army staff. He reiterated that such a decision was a Constitutional matter and expressed hope to perform it in a “good manner” that would be in the best interest of the country.

President Arif Alvi, who belongs to Imran-led party, had earlier this month called for broader consultation on the army chief appointment while giving a past example to support his statement when the PTI consulted the-then opposition to giving a three-year extension to COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Imran’s ‘dialogue offer’

When a reporter asked about ousted PM Nawaz Sharif’s claim that Imran started a long march to appoint his army chief, PM Shehbaz spilled the beans.

“I should tell this today that one of my acquaintances, who is not associated with politics and is a businessman, brought Imran Khan’s message to me a month ago that ’I want to have a dialogue.”

The PTI chief was calling for dialogue but also giving threats. “I listened to him.” Imran has always rejected the dialogue offers, the premier said while reminding of his overtures to the former ruling party in Parliament. “He never bothered to shake hands. I had no interest in shaking hands with him but we have Islamic values and this is a way in the world. I had no issue.”

The premier reiterated that the cricketer-turned-politician has always rejected talks offers.

To the message from the acquaintance, he said: “I asked on which issues? The businessman said Imran wanted to have talks on two issues, firstly army chief appointment that ‘we should decide it together’ and secondly that ‘we are ready to decide’ the election date.”

PM Shehbaz replied that “now” Imran was remembering this to appoint the army chief.

“I asked that when the army chief appointment… did they consult me when they did the amendment in the Army Act and this is a Constitutional matter. The Constitution has given the prerogative to the prime minister to appoint the army chief so on what point he [Imran] wants to have a negotiation.”

The PTI chief had suggested that three names should be suggested for the army chief appointment from the government and the PTI side.

“I said that give him [Imran] the message that I am ready for dialogue which does not lead the country to any crisis situation, including the charter of economy, the charter of democracy, and many more. But, the point of discussion on the army chief appointment, it is a Constitutional matter and I don’t want to have a discussion with him on this.”

The premier claimed that he was sharing this information because such a decision was a Constitutional matter. “And, I wish I can perform this Constitutional right in a good manner. In the best interest of Pakistan. And that’s it.”

‘Gen Bajwa supported Imran’

“Imran attacked the military very badly,” he said while reacting to his predecessor’s speeches in rallies after Inter-Services Intelligence DG Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum and Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar held a joint press conference on Thursday.

The premier reminded the PTI chief that such institutions were for the country’s defence. “Since its inception, they [their personnel] have sacrificed their lives. Just look at the terrorism period, in which many laces were inhabitable. Nothing was safe. How terrorists attacked our officers, just remember that,” he said.

“Our army fought with those terrorists with strong determination. These sacrifices, you cannot malign such institutions,” the premier said and lambasted Imran for his “false narrative” pertaining to a foreign conspiracy at the time of the vote of no-confidence.

“What kind of words he used to use for me such as I boot polish and many more? One who raised him, the military raised him, and the institution made him successful, they helped Imran for four years in a way that is unprecedented in history. Even if 20 per of that support was given to us, we would have made this country successful. But, after that much support, he couldn’t deliver.”

He accused Imran of using party leaders Azam Swati, Shahbaz Gill, and other leaders – who were arrested and apparently tortured while in custody – to malign these institutions.

PM Shehbaz added that the ISI DG had talked to him before the presser. “I need your permission to hold a press conference in a very cautious way,” he quoted Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum as saying. “Gen Bajwa supported Imran and gave extra support to Imran.”

He was of the view that if the ISI DG answered within the limits of the Constitution then there was not any problem. “India is very happy as Imran is targeting the ISI DG. Now he is their [India] hero. He is supporting the enemy just to save his politics.”

To a query that the army has said “no to politics” and Imran’s recent speeches, he said: “Only institution knows their thinking, they know how they brought Imran. This is a very good thing if they have decided to be apolitical. We must appreciate it.”

He vowed that the government would make Imran’s efforts unsuccessful if he tried to enter Rawalpindi

He further announced that agricultural packages would soon be announced.

“I am ready to have ties with India. But, India also has to talk about Kashmir, and the cruelty that they are doing to them. They will have to talk about such issues.”

Saudi crown prince to visit Pakistan

PM Shehbaz, the brother of ousted PM Nawaz Sharif, reiterated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would soon visit Pakistan. He said this while sharing the details of his meetings in the kingdom during a visit on October 24.

“Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would soon be visiting Pakistan,” he reiterated while addressing a media briefing after his meeting with social media influencers on Sunday in Lahore. “Saudi investors, private and government, are ready to make investments in Pakistan.”

He added that Pakistani people would give a rousing welcome to the Saudi crown prince.

Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the prime minister of the kingdom, would visit Pakistan to set up around $10 billion worth of a oil refinery here.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during the last visit of Mohammed bin Salman in February 2019, signed MoUs for an investment of $21 billion in various sectors of the economy, including for the project of a deep conversion refinery and petrochemical complex with an investment of $10 billion in Gwadar.

‘History repeating itself’

The premier compared the timing of PTI’s long march with the 2014 sit-in.

“Unfortunately, history is repeating itself that in September 2013 when Chinese President Xi Jinping was about to visit Pakistan,” he said as he made reference to the 2013 PTI sit-in.

“The-then Chinese ambassador said that wait for three days and go from here… I was there,” he claimed. “PM Nawaz Sharif asked me to talk to heads of other institutions that Pakistan would suffer if the Chinese president would not visit,” he said, “but, they [PTI] did not listen and continued sit-in.”

“Then, the Chinese president visited Pakistan after seven months,” he said and expressed concerns if people died in the procession.

He made reference to the press conference of Faisal Vawda, who got terminated from the party on Saturday, in which the former PTI leader claimed that the long march would turn “bloody”.

The premier accused Imran of ruining Pakistan’s relationship with friendly countries. “What kind of service is that? You have created a narrative to destroy Pakistan,” he said.

“I have served this province [Punjab] for more than 12 years. I made mistakes but those must be honest mistakes. I build the province which Imran and former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar destroyed.”

Shehbaz, who was serving as the Punjab chief minister during the PTI sit-in, claimed that billions of dollars of investment were wasted due to the demonstration in Islamabad.

“In 2014, I met China’s ambassador at the PM House he said, I tried my best but I have received a call from China that the tour is cancelled,” the premier said, “now I am going to China and you are trying to do the same thing. History is repeating itself. What image we are giving to China about Pakistan, our institutions, and our people? I think this is the biggest conspiracy against Pakistan.”