PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has received criticism for what is being considered another “U-turn” in his stance on the controversial “regime change” narrative where he claimed that the US was behind the removal of his government.
According to the details, Imran Khan has claimed that former Chief of Army Staff General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa was responsible for the regime change conspiracy, not the United States, as he had previously claimed.
PTI chairman Imran Khan made these remarks during an interview with the Voice of America English (VoA) aired on Saturday and a separate televised address on Sunday. On both occasions, the former premier took swipes at the ex-chief of army staff Bajwa. Video clips from the interview and the televised address are going viral with the former premier receiving criticism.
Read more: No truth in regime change conspiracy: US ambassador Bloom
“Whatever happened, now as things unfold, it wasn’t the US who told Pakistan, it was unfortunately, from what evidence has come up, Gen Bajwa who somehow managed to tell Americans that I was anti-American. And so, it wasn’t imported from there. It was exported from here to there,” Imran Khan said during an interview with Voice of America.
Imran Khan also said that the former chief of the army staff (COAS) had close ties with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and they “conspired”, and as a result the “regime change took place”.
“This man is legend in taking U-turns,” PML-N leader and Minister of Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said while reacting to Imran Khan’s interview with VoA.
This man is legend in taking U-turns 🫡
Admin pic.twitter.com/BJewkesIgN
— Khawaja Saad Rafique (@KhSaad_Rafique) February 12, 2023
“The nation is surprised by Imran Khan’s statement as if he has said something unique and new. With due respect, his every word is nonsense today, it was nonsense yesterday and it will be nonsense in the future. Surprising is the mentality of those who believe in nonsense,” Advocate Mian Dawood said.
عمران خان کے بیان پر قوم حیران تو ایسے ہو رہی ہے جیسے اس نے کوئی انوکھی اور نئی بات کی ہو۔
محترم اس کا ہر لفظ آج بھی بکواس ہے، کل بھی بکواس تھا اور آئندہ بھی بکواس رہے گا۔
حیران ہونا ہے تو انکی ذہنیت پر ہوں جو بکواس پر یقین کر لیتے ہیں pic.twitter.com/hpQWPOuy3v— Mian Dawood (@miandawoodadv) February 12, 2023
“Imran Khan has backtracked from his own narrative of a US conspiracy to oust him, something which he made people believe since his ouster, and is now blaming only Gen R Bajwa for his ouster, also wants to move on from the past – ahem, if that is not what a U-turn is then what is,” journalist Anas Mallick said.
Imran Khan has back tracked from his own narrative of a US conspiracy to oust him, something which he made people believe since his ouster and is now blaming only Gen R Bajwa for his ouster, also wants to ‘move on from the past’ — Ahem, if thats not whats a U Turn then what is🤷♂️ https://t.co/IpKAZT5GRe
— Anas Mallick (@AnasMallick) February 12, 2023
یا تو عوام کو… سمجھتا ھے یہ خود بہت بڑا… ھے https://t.co/VQYhmsyvsu
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) February 12, 2023
Later, in his televised address Imran Khan termed Gen Bajwa, who retired in November last year, ‘super king’ and admitted that his three-and-a-half-year stint in the Prime Minister’s Office was more like of a puppet. This statement to received criticism, especially from PML-N leaders.
Read more: What Imran Khan said when COAS Bajwa called him playboy
“If General Bajwa was super king, what Imran Khan was doing as PM for four years? Why Imran Khan gave a second extension to him? Why Imran Khan praised him continuously as PM?” Khawaja Saad Rafique said.
If Gen Bajwa was super king…
wht Ik was doing as PM since 4 yrs?
why IK gave 2 nd ext to him?
why IK praised him continuously as PM? #Hypocrite_liar_IK— Khawaja Saad Rafique (@KhSaad_Rafique) February 13, 2023
کوئی اس سے پوچھے کہ سپر کنگ کس نے بنایا تھا؟
پہلے تو موصوف قصیدے پڑھتے تھے۔
جب 2018 الیکشن سے پہلے جنرل باجوہ سے ملاقات طے ہوئی تو واقفان حال کے مطابق جناب شوق ملاقات میں ساری رات سو نہیں سکے تھے۔
کیا قوم کو بھی اپنی طرح کا نالائق سمجھ رکھا ہے؟ https://t.co/612iNsWATX— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) February 12, 2023