Govt thinking over legal action against ex-PM Imran Khan: Khawaja Asif

 ISLAMABAD, Nov 15 (SABAH): Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said that the government is mulling taking legal action against the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for his flippant statements, which had had a severe impact on the country’s diplomatic ties with other countries.

“We believe Imran toyed with Pakistan’s unity, sanctity and prestige,” Asif said while speaking to the media on Tuesday. He deplored that Imran had damaged Pakistan’s ties with other countries for his personal benefit and wishes it constituted a crime against the state. Asked if the government had a favorite for the next chief of army staff, Asif categorically stated that no name is a favorite for the government.

“Process of appointing a new army chief has yet to begin,” he said. Asif’s statements come a day after Imran in an interview published in the Financial Times suggested he wanted to move on from the conspiracy in which he claimed the US wanted to over throw his government.

Imran, though, had termed the meaning derived from the interview as misrepresented and misconstrued as he reiterated his desire for better ties but maintained that Donald Lu had issued a threat.