Disgruntled Pakistan PM Imran Khan accuses Nawaz Sharif of 'maligning 'army leadership

Oct 17, 2020

Islamabad [Pakistan], October 17 : A day after former Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif tore into 'puppet government' of the country during Gurjanwala anti-government rally, a disgruntled Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday lashed out at the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo for allegedly maligning the top army leadership, and deemed as "a circus", the opposition's power show.
Remarking on the speech given by Sharif during the opposition rally, Prime Minister Khan said the PML-N leader was using inappropriate "language" against the army and ISI chiefs at a time when Pakistani soldiers were constantly sacrificing their lives for the nation, Dawn reported.
"There are constant attacks on our soldiers; they are sacrificing their lives every day," he said, noting that "20 security personnel were martyred in two attacks on Thursday."
"Why are they sacrificing their lives? For us; for the country. And this jackal (geedar) who ran with his tail between his legs used such language for the army chief and DG ISI," he added, referring to Nawaz.
While addressing the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) rally via video link from London, Nawaz on Friday accused the security establishment of orchestrating his ouster as Prime Minister and for bringing Imran Khan to power.
The comments come after the Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed in a meeting with members of the opposition "counselled them" to not drag the military into political issues."This is your doing...You can label me a traitor if you want, seize my properties, file false cases against me [...] but Nawaz Sharif will continue to speak for his people," added Sharif, as quoted by Dawn.
Under the recently formed Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), opposition party leaders in Pakistan, along with an "ocean" of people made their way to Gujranwala on Friday for the first show of strength of their anti-government campaign.
The opposition comprises 11 parties including PML-N, PPP (Pakistan People's Party), and JUI-F (Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl).
The anti-government rally has been organised to protest against army atrocities and demand for PM Imran Khan's resignation in the backdrop of corruption, economic slowdown, and poor governance.