Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed on Monday that Imran Khan’s long march last November and the assassination attempt that left him injured were both sponsored by the-then army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Talking to Asma Shirazi in Faisla Aap Ka on Aaj News, Asif also said that the attack was ‘fake’ as Imran Khan’s leg healed and the protective ‘bucket’ disappeared after just a few hours in custody.

“It was not in black and white at that point that the blessing (of the establishment) had been withdrawn,” he said when asked about Imran’s statements against Bajwa from that time. “A balance was still being maintained.”

He added that bringing Pervaiz Elahi into government was part of the same chain of events.

November and September

He said that Imran’s long march last year had been about November, presumably a reference to the new army chief’s appointment.

Asif then added that the current political battle was about September, seemingly a reference to the retirement of Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial.

He added that a section of the court was currently ‘abetting’ Imran Khan’s politics and criticised the fact that Imran Khan had been warmly welcomed into court on the day of his bail despite being in custody and despite the fact that he was the leader of the people leading ‘attacks’ all over Pakistan.

He also claimed that he personally knew people whose aid Imran Khan had sought to establish contact with Army Chief General Asim Munir.

“He won’t take a minute and take their blessing again,” Asif said, referring to whether Imran Khan was looking to build connections with the military.

Caught unaware

When asked why many sensitive places, such as the Corp Commander House in Lahore had been so easily accessible to protestors from PTI, Asif said that he thought many of these places might have been ‘caught unaware’.

“We did not expect that the PTI would attack these places.”

He also said that he did not know if the Army Act would be used to take action against PTI protestors, but added that action must be taken as per the institution’s rules.

A corps commander meeting has already announced that the Army Act and Official Secrets Act will be used to try those accused of attacking military installments.

Asif said that the protestors belonged to the PTI, not the Congress or BJP, and Imran’s nephew Hasaan Niazi was using language that ‘could not be repeated’.

He also added that many ‘elite’ women belonging to the PTI were already submitting their apologies now that suspects were being identified and apprehended.

When asked about whether the government was considering banning the PTI, Khawaja said that the option was ‘available’ but had not yielded good results in the past.

’There are political, administrative, legal, and judicial ways to counter a party,“ he said.