General Bajwa Threatened Martial Law Over Term Extension, Says Defence Minister Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD – Defence Minister Khawaja Asif revealed on Thursday that former Chief of Army Staff General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa had threatened to impose martial law in Pakistan as he sought a second extension of his term in November 2022. Asif made these remarks during an appearance on Geo News’ show “Capital Talk.”

Asif, emphasizing his clear recollection of past events, stated, “General Bajwa had mentioned in a gathering that he would impose martial law in the country.” He further elaborated that General Bajwa had been pushing for an extension of six months to a year, suggesting it as a temporary measure to resolve a political deadlock.

The defence minister also clarified that his statements and those of Malik Ahmed pertain to different aspects of the situation but are not contradictory. Both are consistent in their accounts of General Bajwa’s actions during that period.