Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in his speech in the National Assembly on Monday, condemned the allegations levelled against Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and the military by Canadian parliamentarian 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.
In his NA speech today, 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. Responding to Kmiec’s accusation that the previous government in Pakistan was “toppled” through military intervention, Asif said the 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”. He accused Imran of “polarising” overseas Pakistanis for political purposes, and held him responsible for Kmiec’s criticism of the army chief. Asif accused Imran of “destroying” the culture of Pakistanis at home and abroad. “Time will tell how he divided the nation and pushed us backward.”
He urged overseas Pakistanis not to “spew hatred” against the country based on their own “political liking and disliking”.
Asif said Canada was among the leading G-7 countries where Islamophobia was on the rise, as he linked it with Kmiec’s remarks. “In 2017, an attack on a mosque in Quebec killed 6 people. Similarly, in 2021, a man rammed a truck into a Muslim family in Ontario, killing six of them …” the defence minister recalled.
Quoting police figures, he said around 2,700 incidents “motivated by hate” were reported in Canada in 2020 — the highest number of such incidents since 2009.
Last week, Pakistan had objected to the Canadian MP’s remarks and took up the matter with the government of Canada, Radio Pakistan had reported, quoting Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed. “The statement [given by Kmiec] is baseless and unsubstantiated,” the state-run radio service quoted Ahmed as saying in response to a question during a press briefing on June 24.Source: dawn.com
Canadian parliament insults Pakistan’s Army Chief: Country’s honor tarnished
Visit of Pakistan’s Army General Qamar Javed Bajwa to Canada came under heated discussion in the Canadian Parliament on Monday. Parliamentary Secretary of Canadian Defense Ministry Bryan May says allocation of the $50,000 for the reception of Pakistan’s Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa was ‘inappropriate’. His comments came in response to a fiery speech of the Canadian parliamentarian Tom Kmiec who slammed his government for approving the amount for COAS Bajwa’s reception from the taxpayer money of Canada. COAS Bajwa was expected to visit Canada back in 2020. The official visit was later canceled due to COVID-19.
The parliamentarian in his speech recalled how the Assistant Deputy Defense Minister called the allocation of the amount ‘appropriate’ for the visit of COAS Qamar Bajwa. Kmiec said Bajwa is accused of the toppling of two civilian governments. Adding that military under his command is accused of human rights abuses, and extradition killings and has links to terror groups. He asked if the Defense Ministry still shares the same
Source: globalvillagespace.com
Canadian Lawmaker Tom Kmiec accuses Pak Army Chief Gen Bajwa of having terror links and toppling Govts
Toronto: Supporters of a mainstream political party are spreading a Canadian politician’s remarks against Pakiatan’s Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, a phenominon never seen in the Islamic Republic.
Tom Kmiec, a member of the Canada’s Conservative Party, made the remarks against the Pakistan’s army chief in the house of Commons, the lower house of the Canadian parliament. While raising a question regarding Bajwa’s 2020 visit that was cancelled due to COVID-19, Kmiec levelled some serious allegations against the Pakistani army. While it was not sure who approached or briefed the Canadian lawmaker about the situation in Pakistan, the workers of the Pakistani political party are celebrating his speech and seeing it as a vindication of their views.
Source: view. theigmp.org
