Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)'s dissident member and former advisor to ousted prime minister Imran Khan, Awn Chaudhry, has claimed that the country was run on 'dreams' during the PTI regime.
He made these statements during a talk show on a local news channel, where he mentioned, among other things, that PTI chief Imran Khan had sold the watches gifted to him, which ought to have been part of the Tosha Khana.
'Dreams In Bani Gala Led To Money Bags In Lahore'
“I worked tirelessly for the PTI, but when the victory was near, I was pushed away,” said PTI dissident Awn Chaudhry.
He went on to reveal that on the day of the oath-taking of the prime minister, he was called and told that he couldn’t be a part of the ceremony because it wasn’t the right thing to do - as revealed in a dream.
“I received this call at 2am,” Chaudhry said. “If our fate is to be decided on the basis of dreams, we better stay away from such decisions.”
The former PTI stalwart made the revelation during Saleem Safi’s programme Jirga. When he was asked whether that dream was seen by a specific person, he replied: “You know who makes decisions on the basis of dreams.”
He further said he was pushed away because he was loyal to Imran Khan. “If I had done anything wrong, Imran Khan would have told me off within seconds.”
Chaudhry went on to add that Bushra Bibi pushed him away from Imran Khan as he was getting in the way of her plans. “Later on, everyone witnessed the kind of gang that came forward and ruled Punjab,” he said.
The ‘gang’
Chaudhry said that the friend of the former first lady 'Gogi', her husband Ahsan Jameel Gujjar and his ‘gift’ Usman Buzdar were part of the ‘gang.’
The dissident lawmaker said he told Imran Khan during a one-on-one meeting that he had appointed an "ineligible individual" to lead the biggest province of the country. "I told him that Punjab isn’t being run by Buzdar, but by Farah Gogi and Ahsan Jameel Gujjar."
He continued: "And then I was ousted from Punjab’s Cabinet within a week." Chaudhry added that he had told Khan during the meeting that they hadn't agreed to wage this struggle just so that they could auction transfers and postings.
Dreams and bags
“It used to be a dream during the night and a bag during the day, followed by a decision on the basis of the same," he said.
“Which of the deputy commissioners, commissioners and principal secretary or even the chief engineer got appointed without the involvement of money?” he asked. “Do you think Imran Khan was unaware of this?”
Chaudhry went on to say: “My heart cries at the fact that I was a part of that government." He added he was tasked with being the "eyes and ears" of Imran Khan, and to let him know what was happening in Punjab.
Maneka family’s role
When asked if Bushra Bibi and the Maneka family – her ex-husband's family – had a hand in this, the PTI dissident said that he didn’t want to name anyone but that everyone in Punjab knew who was making those appointments and transfers. The dissident PTI leader claims that they were all complicit in it.
“The money, DPO, DC, transfers and postings: the Maneka family was ruling as if the head of the family was himself the premier," he said.
"Get the assets checked"
When asked about the allegations that Chaudhry had minted a lot of money, he said, “Get my assets checked, as well as those of Farah ‘Gogi’ and Imran Khan and find out which ones increased or decreased during the past five years.”
He added, “I did invest money on this party, as much as I could, but didn’t take a penny back.”
"Expel Fawad"
“People would whisper in Imran Khan’s ears and he would give the order to expel certain people,” the estranged PTI leader said, adding that he used to arrange meetings between the Khan and the disfavoured party member.
He revealed that when Fawad Chaudhry lost a by-poll, people came to Imran and showed him Fawad's tweets. At this, Khan allegedly said, “Get a notification issued now, and expel Fawad from the party.”
Chaudhry says that he and Jahangir Tareen then met Imran Khan and convinced him to meet with Fawad Chaudhry to smooth things over, instead of sacking him.
"Nestle and Nespak"
The former confidante of the PTI chief claimed that Usman Buzdar, after an hour-long presentation, asked him about the difference between Nestle and Nespak.
“You tasked a person with half of the country, while being aware of his background, just because you wanted to install a dummy," he said.
People’s mandate?
Responding to a question about Imran Khan’s claims that he was ousted as a result of the American conspiracy, he claimed to know "national secrets," but said that he would remain silent "for the country."
He said that Khan's government was nurtured and cradled, and that Khan, knowing his own government, shouldn't open this Pandora's box.
Mahmood Khan as the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister
According to Awn, Pervez Khattak had the wisdom and acumen to make decisions himself, which Chaudhry claimed was beneficial for Khattak as well as the party.
He added, “Imran Khan himself used to say in his private gatherings that the reason he didn’t appoint Khattak as the chief minister was because Khattak wouldn’t listen to him.”
Mahmood Khan was made the chief minister because Imran Khan wanted to install a yes-man, according to Chaudhry.
Closure of NAB cases
Responding to a question about the dissident PTI leader Abdul Aleem Khan, Awn alleged that he was innocent, and was only put behind bars because he was a potential candidate for the chief minister's slot.
Referring to the NAB cases against PTI members that had been closed, Awn questioned how someone with principles could get NAB cases against their friends closed.
"Let an inquiry of such instances be conducted," he said, adding that after a due probe, everything, including the foreign funding case, will come out in the open.
He made these statements during a talk show on a local news channel, where he mentioned, among other things, that PTI chief Imran Khan had sold the watches gifted to him, which ought to have been part of the Tosha Khana.
'Dreams In Bani Gala Led To Money Bags In Lahore'
“I worked tirelessly for the PTI, but when the victory was near, I was pushed away,” said PTI dissident Awn Chaudhry.
He went on to reveal that on the day of the oath-taking of the prime minister, he was called and told that he couldn’t be a part of the ceremony because it wasn’t the right thing to do - as revealed in a dream.
“I received this call at 2am,” Chaudhry said. “If our fate is to be decided on the basis of dreams, we better stay away from such decisions.”
The former PTI stalwart made the revelation during Saleem Safi’s programme Jirga. When he was asked whether that dream was seen by a specific person, he replied: “You know who makes decisions on the basis of dreams.”
He further said he was pushed away because he was loyal to Imran Khan. “If I had done anything wrong, Imran Khan would have told me off within seconds.”
Chaudhry went on to add that Bushra Bibi pushed him away from Imran Khan as he was getting in the way of her plans. “Later on, everyone witnessed the kind of gang that came forward and ruled Punjab,” he said.
The ‘gang’
Chaudhry said that the friend of the former first lady 'Gogi', her husband Ahsan Jameel Gujjar and his ‘gift’ Usman Buzdar were part of the ‘gang.’
The dissident lawmaker said he told Imran Khan during a one-on-one meeting that he had appointed an "ineligible individual" to lead the biggest province of the country. "I told him that Punjab isn’t being run by Buzdar, but by Farah Gogi and Ahsan Jameel Gujjar."
He continued: "And then I was ousted from Punjab’s Cabinet within a week." Chaudhry added that he had told Khan during the meeting that they hadn't agreed to wage this struggle just so that they could auction transfers and postings.
Dreams and bags
“It used to be a dream during the night and a bag during the day, followed by a decision on the basis of the same," he said.
“Which of the deputy commissioners, commissioners and principal secretary or even the chief engineer got appointed without the involvement of money?” he asked. “Do you think Imran Khan was unaware of this?”
Chaudhry went on to say: “My heart cries at the fact that I was a part of that government." He added he was tasked with being the "eyes and ears" of Imran Khan, and to let him know what was happening in Punjab.
Maneka family’s role
When asked if Bushra Bibi and the Maneka family – her ex-husband's family – had a hand in this, the PTI dissident said that he didn’t want to name anyone but that everyone in Punjab knew who was making those appointments and transfers. The dissident PTI leader claims that they were all complicit in it.
“The money, DPO, DC, transfers and postings: the Maneka family was ruling as if the head of the family was himself the premier," he said.
"Get the assets checked"
When asked about the allegations that Chaudhry had minted a lot of money, he said, “Get my assets checked, as well as those of Farah ‘Gogi’ and Imran Khan and find out which ones increased or decreased during the past five years.”
He added, “I did invest money on this party, as much as I could, but didn’t take a penny back.”
"Expel Fawad"
“People would whisper in Imran Khan’s ears and he would give the order to expel certain people,” the estranged PTI leader said, adding that he used to arrange meetings between the Khan and the disfavoured party member.
He revealed that when Fawad Chaudhry lost a by-poll, people came to Imran and showed him Fawad's tweets. At this, Khan allegedly said, “Get a notification issued now, and expel Fawad from the party.”
Chaudhry says that he and Jahangir Tareen then met Imran Khan and convinced him to meet with Fawad Chaudhry to smooth things over, instead of sacking him.
"Nestle and Nespak"
The former confidante of the PTI chief claimed that Usman Buzdar, after an hour-long presentation, asked him about the difference between Nestle and Nespak.
“You tasked a person with half of the country, while being aware of his background, just because you wanted to install a dummy," he said.
People’s mandate?
Responding to a question about Imran Khan’s claims that he was ousted as a result of the American conspiracy, he claimed to know "national secrets," but said that he would remain silent "for the country."
He said that Khan's government was nurtured and cradled, and that Khan, knowing his own government, shouldn't open this Pandora's box.
Mahmood Khan as the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister
According to Awn, Pervez Khattak had the wisdom and acumen to make decisions himself, which Chaudhry claimed was beneficial for Khattak as well as the party.
He added, “Imran Khan himself used to say in his private gatherings that the reason he didn’t appoint Khattak as the chief minister was because Khattak wouldn’t listen to him.”
Mahmood Khan was made the chief minister because Imran Khan wanted to install a yes-man, according to Chaudhry.
Closure of NAB cases
Responding to a question about the dissident PTI leader Abdul Aleem Khan, Awn alleged that he was innocent, and was only put behind bars because he was a potential candidate for the chief minister's slot.
Referring to the NAB cases against PTI members that had been closed, Awn questioned how someone with principles could get NAB cases against their friends closed.
"Let an inquiry of such instances be conducted," he said, adding that after a due probe, everything, including the foreign funding case, will come out in the open.