During a recent interview with Voice of America (Urdu), former Prime Minister Imran Khan stated that former Chief of Army Staff General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa admitted to being behind the removal of Khan's government. According to Khan, the United States and Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi were involved in the "regime change" operation.
Khan claims that General Bajwa explained to a journalist with pride how he ousted Khan's government due to economic policies and other factors. According to him, even though the public was already aware who was behind the removal of the PTI regime, General Bajwa's admission confirmed their suspicions.
In addition to becoming Pakistan's first prime minister to be removed through a no-confidence vote, Khan stated that the current establishment and the Pakistan Democratic Movement coalition government are working together. This statement was made in reference to a recent column in a local newspaper, in which a journalist reported on their meeting with General Bajwa.
The column states that Khan had sought the former COAS' assistance in saving his government, but Bajwa declined to help because he believed that the PTI was a threat to the country and might lead to its collapse.
It is clear that this recent development has caused a stir in the political arena and is likely to cause further questions and discussions regarding the role of the military in the country's politics in the future.
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