The Pakistani Army dismissed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s assertions on Thursday, casting doubt on the country’s ability to protect its nuclear assets.
Khan, who was deposed following a no-confidence vote against his administration, questioned whether Pakistan’s nuclear weapons were safe in the hands of “robbers” and “thieves,” alluding to the newly elected Shehbaz Sharif regime, during a roadshow in Peshawar on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Major General Babar Iftikhar, the Director-General (DG) of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistan army’s media wing, disputed Khan’s charges, saying that Pakistan’s nuclear assets do not belong to just one person, during a press conference today.
Imran Khan said in an explosive address on Wednesday night that he wants to ask the country’s establishment if the people who came to power as part of a “plot” can protect the country’s nuclear programme.
“The conspiracy under which these people were brought to power, I ask my institutions, is our nuclear program which is in their hands, can they protect it?” Khan said.
The former Prime Minister has claimed that his removal was the result of a foreign plot organised by the United States, which was enraged by Khan’s visit to Moscow on the eve of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and intended to remove him so that it could “forgive” Pakistan.
Addressing the US, Khan at the Peshawar rally said, “America, we don’t need your apology… who are you to forgive us? You are accustomed to these slaves, these Sharifs, these Zardaris.”
“Is the nuclear program safe in the hands of these robbers, whose money is outside?” Imran Khan further said.
“Aren’t you putting the safety of Pakistanis in the hands of these crooks, have you no fear of God?” he shouted again, addressing the country’s institutions.
Khan’s claims have been refuted by the Pakistan Army. “There is no such threat to our nuclear programme, and we should not bring it up in our political conversations,” stated Gen Iftikhar, Director General of ISPIR.
“Our programme has progressed to the point where our asset security and command and control mechanisms are among the best in worldwide evaluation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan praised everyone who came out to his Peshawar rally on Thursday to “resist the US-initiated regime change” in Pakistan in a tweet.
“Want to thank all those who came to our jalsa in Peshawar making it a mammoth & historic jalsa. The passion & commitment crowd showed in support of an indep sovereign Pak & their total rejection of US-initiated regime change bringing to power criminals, shows where nation stands,” Imran Khan said in a tweet.
Want to thank all those who came to our jalsa in Peshawar making it a mammoth & historic jalsa. The passion & commitment crowd showed in support of an indep sovereign Pak & their total rejection of US-initiated regime change bringing to power criminals, shows where nation stands.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 14, 2022
