Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has disclosed new details regarding the events of May 9, 2023, labeling them as part of a "complete coup" orchestrated by former chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed.
Speaking on the Samaa TV show 'Red Line with Talat', Asif elaborated that former Peshawar corps commander Faiz Hameed was the one who gave the targets for May 9, 2023 and also played a crucial role in protecting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Founder Imran Khan from the no-confidence motion that eventually led to his ouster.
The defense minister asserted that Faiz Hameed had clear objectives during the alleged attempted coup, and his actions were pivotal in trying to shield the PTI leader during his political downfall.
Asif’s statement marked one of the first public accusations tying a retired high-ranking military officer directly to the political turbulence surrounding the PTI government’s collapse.
The minister also discussed the former army chief, General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, claiming that Bajwa’s appointment as army chief was facilitated by his father-in-law, General (retd) Ijaz Amjad, who had allegedly paved the way for him within the military establishment.
Khawaja Asif further claimed that the then army chief Gen Bajwa had, on May 21, 2018, offered former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz to leave the country. However, according to Asif, Nawaz Sharif firmly refused the offer, rejecting the proposed exit from the political scene.
He further suggested that Imran Khan's case should be tried in a military court.
