Veterans of Pakistan, an organisation of former military officers, held a press conference in Islamabad yesterday (June 6). A video from the conference went viral where retired Lieutenant General Asif Yasin Malik threatened journalist Azaz Syed for asking a question.
Azaz asked, “General Saab, do you think that generals should give back the land given to them because of the present economic conditions of the country?”
“Tum apnay janazay ka bandobast karo,” said General Malik to Azaz Syed. [Translation: You should prepare for your funeral].
“Stop it,” General Malik shouted.
Azaz interjected and said, ” Sir I am asking you a question, this is a matter of the country, you just did a press conference.”
It is being reported that during the press conference, Brig (R) Mian Mehmood claimed that when the situation in Pakistan started to deteriorate, their team led by General Ali Quli went to meet the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
“General Bajwa very clearly promised that he would hold elections in 90 days to make the situation in Pakistan better. Today we ask Gen Bajwa: where did his promises go?”
A denial has been issued by military sources to BBC Urdu that no such promise [polls in 90 days] was made by the army chief. The military sources also told BBC Urdu that nobody can use the army for politics by using the name of ‘veterans’.
