Fazl's statement flayed: 'Anti-army narrative' not acceptable, says Gill

FAISALABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication, Dr Shehbaz Gill Saturday said that any anti-army narrative is unacceptable for the patriotic people of Pakistan.

Talking to the media during his visit here, Gill said all political parties, excluding few disgruntled elements, acknowledge the unprecedented sacrifices, offered by the country's valiant forces.

He condemned the recent statement of Maulana Fazlur Rehman against the Pak Army and said that during September, when everyone pays tribute to the gallantry of our forces, Fazlur Rehman criticised the Pak Army.

He said Maulana Fazl had been upset due to his successive defeats and was trying to get cheap popularity by criticising the army. He said the Maulana committed corruption in the past and purchased flats in Dubai with the plundered money. He had a house on 5 acres in Dera Ismail Khan, one house in Shorkot, and flats and shops in Karachi and Quetta, as well as plots in Islamabad. Similarly, he purchased property worth Rs 3 billion in Chak Shehzad Islamabad.

Gill said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman had been involved in diesel scam during Benazir Bhutto government. Now, instead of apologizing to the nation over his loot and plunder, he was criticising the army, which was defender of the country. He advised the Maulana to stay within his limits and avoid criticising the army.

Rejecting the allegation of army support to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he said if it was so, the party would not have needed support of any political allies.

He said that the statement of Maulana Fazlur Rehman was on record that during 2007 he met the US ambassador and assured him of his full support and cooperation if he was provided support to become prime minister of Pakistan. Similarly, in 2011, he wished to have a meeting with the American ambassador outside Pakistan.

He said that Fazlur Rehman was in the habit of political bargaining. He succeeded in getting ministries with only few seats in the past, but Prime Minister Imran Khan totally rejected him being an unreliable person.

Responding to a question, he said that the PTI government had no link with Maulana Fazlur Rehman nor it offered any deal to him.

Responding to yet another question that despite massive corruption, the government was not taking action against Fazl, he said the government stayed always within the limits of the law and the constitution, and it was a duty of the courts to proceed against him.

About a meeting of Director General ISI with the Afghan government in Kabul, he said he was a representative of the prime minister and the ISPR would issue a statement about the real content of the meeting.

About high rate of dollar despite record foreign exchange reserves, he said it was due to the corona pandemic which resulted in global inflation. He said that the PTI government did not want to contain the value of dollar artificially, but efforts had been expedited to control inflation.

About difference of opinions between Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, he said that president of PML-N floated the proposal of national government, but his niece rejected it outright. In this scenario, Shehbaz Sharif should resign from the president-ship of PMLN.

He said that a spokesperson for Shehbaz Sharif, Malik Ahmad, had challenged the PTI government that it would be unable to start work on Sialkot-Kharian Motorway by September-November. He said that now work had been started and he should invite them for a feast. He advised the PML-N leadership to return the plundered amount to save themselves from political and public criticism.