Islamabad, June 28 : Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has condemned allegations levelled against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and the military by Canadian MP Tom Kmiec.
Kmiec, who belongs to the Conservative Party, in a recent speech on the floor of the Canadian Parliament, had accused COAS Bajwa of “toppling two governments in Pakistan” and claimed that the military under his command was involved in human rights abuses and had links with terrorist groups, Dawn reported.
In his address to the National Assembly, Asif said the Canadian government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau respect Pakistan, but “if their Parliament member attacks our institution and state, then it is incumbent upon us to respond to those allegations”.
Asif said the Canadian government should have itself taken notice of the remarks made by its parliamentarian, Dawn reported.
Responding to Kmiec’s accusation that the previous government in Pakistan was “toppled” through military intervention, Asif said the former PTI government was removed through a constitutional process and the judiciary had also endorsed it.
He informed the House that Pakistan had raised the issue at a diplomatic level as he linked Kmiec’s allegation with “Islamophobia”.
“I believe the Canadian lawmaker does not represent his country or people, but if there is any such statement, there will be a reaction to it,” Asif added.
The Defence Minister noted that such voices were also being raised in other parts of the world, including the UK and the US “because of hatred propagated by former Prime Minister Imran Khan”.
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