Islamabad: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that he stands by his statement regarding Kashmir, maintaining that his comments were made with reason and justification. He stated that he was responding to remarks made by others and had provided arguments to support his position.
Speaking on a point of order during a National Assembly session, Khawaja Asif said that he had also addressed the matter through a social media post. He remarked that a person does not become Kashmiri or Pakistani merely through a birth certificate. Referring to the Kashmir issue, he said that while Kashmiris had sacrificed their lives, Pakistanis had also made sacrifices and fought five wars, questioning what reward had been received in return.
The defence minister said that the country witnessed severe political tensions during the 1990s. He noted that former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto decided to reduce those tensions. Recalling parliamentary conduct during that period, he said various incidents took place in the House and remarked that former PTI leader Murad Saeed used to run across the assembly desks.
Khawaja Asif urged political forces to correct the mistakes of the past collectively. He invited opposition members to become part of the Charter of Democracy and sign on to its principles. Criticizing previous parliamentary practices, he said that 55 pieces of legislation had been passed within half an hour and alleged that one individual, while occupying the Speaker’s chair, dissolved the National Assembly. He acknowledged that the country’s political past was not admirable but said efforts had been made to improve it.
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The minister further said that the current prime minister had approached the opposition leader, but claimed that such a gesture would have been unimaginable during Imran Khan’s tenure as prime minister. He added that some politicians were so fearful of Imran Khan that they would not even associate with his political camp.
Khawaja Asif also launched a strong criticism of former prime minister Imran Khan, stating that no one had caused as much damage to politics as he had. He accused Khan of inflicting the greatest harm on the Constitution and democratic traditions. Referring to veteran politician Mahmood Khan Achakzai, he remarked that Achakzai appeared out of place sitting among Khan’s allies.
