Former federal minister Faisal Vawda has strongly criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claiming that the party itself wants its founder, Imran Khan, to remain in jail and is ensuring the continuation of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Vawda dismissed talks of any political alliances forming, calling it a “drama".
"I had already said that the Trump card would be played," he remarked, taking a dig at the PTI supposedly looking at the Donald Trump administration to help it secure Imran Khan's release.
Vawda expressed concerns over the increasing reliance on the Pakistan Army to resolve civil matters, particularly mentioning the dumper truck issue in Karachi.
"I have heard that now people are saying the army should even come to stop dumpers. When the army is called for everything and makes sacrifices against terrorism, the nation must appreciate it," he stated. "Our problem is that we do not give credit for anyone's good work."
"A system is being created to fix Pakistan," he claimed, and acknowledged Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir’s role as a team leader. He stated that the army chief has emphasized putting Pakistan first before politics.
Corruption and political hypocrisy
Vawda made bold claims about corruption, stating that he had uncovered thefts worth Rs50 to Rs60 billion. He criticized politicians for dishonesty.
Taking a jab at sudden wealth accumulation, he said, "A beedi smoker suddenly becomes the owner of billions of rupees!"
Vawda’s take on national issues
Vawda stressed that the real focus should be on Pakistan’s stability, rather than political games. “The solution to every problem is Pakistan. Just think!”
He also proposed locking dumper truck speeds at 40 kilometres per hour as a solution to traffic issues in Karachi.
No future for the grand alliance?
Dismissing the grand political alliance of the opposition, Vawda claimed that all its member parties are already part of the government. “I don’t see any alliances, sit-ins, or protests. These people are just the government’s insurance policy,” he remarked.
Customs agents’ protest postponed
Vawda spoke about his role in convincing the customs agents to postpone their protest over taxation issues.
"On my request, the customs agents have postponed their protest till Wednesday. They contribute over Rs400 billion in revenue to the government every month," he noted.
Saifullah Khan, chairman of the All Pakistan Customs Agents Association, announced the withdrawal of the decision to close businesses, saying, “We want the country to avoid any crisis, so we are withdrawing the business closure announcement.”
