‘Army Chief Gen Asim Turned Down Imran Khan’s Meeting Request’

‘Army Chief Gen Asim Turned Down Imran Khan’s Meeting Request’
Despite Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry's assertion that PTI Chairman and former premier Imran Khan had not requested a meeting with Army Chief General Asim Munir, Geo News anchor Shahzeb Khanzada reported, citing sources, that Imran Khan had in fact sent a message to General Asim Munir but that his request had been denied.

The army chief informed the businessmen who met with him Monday night that PTI Chairman Imran Khan sent him a message requesting a meeting.

According to Shahzeb Khanzada, who cited anonymous sources, General Asim Munir told PTI chief Imran Khan that it was not his responsibility as army chief to engage with politicians.

According to sources, General Asim declared that the army wouldn't become involved in politics or meddle with it. The army chief insisted that the political leadership should settle their differences among themselves and that he would not meddle in them.

While speaking in the program, senior journalist Hamid Mir stated that President Arif Alvi had attempted to set up a meeting between Army Chief General Asim Munir and Imran Khan. According to Hamid Mir, President Alvi was informed by the army chief that he wishes to avoid politics.

On Wednesday, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that PTI chairman Imran Khan never wished to meet Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.

Chairman Imran Khan has never made any request to meet the Army chief or any of his representatives, and likewise, the President has never approached Chairman PTI with any suggestion of the Army Chief for meeting Shahbaz Sharif, speculations in this regard are baseless," Fawad said in a tweet on Tuesday.

The tweet came hours after senior journalist Kamran Khan tweeted about the COAS telling the business community that he had sent a message to the former premier via President Arif Alvi for a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which Imran did not agree to.

Kamran Khan went on to add that Imran did desire a meeting with the army chief, which was denied as General Asim did not want to interfere in the political process.