LONDON: Pakistan’s former minister for overseas, Zulfiqar Bukhari, claimed that the former prime minister, Imran Khan, had realized that selecting Usman Buzdar as the chief minister of Punjab province was a mistake and was unable to replace him due to a lack of options.
Bukhari, who is a central leader of Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, was addressing students at SOAS University of London on the topic of “Democracy in Crisis.” The program was organized by the SOAS Pakistan Discussion Forum.
He said that the appointment of Usman Buzdar as the chief minister of Pakistan’s largest province was a mistake. Even Imran Khan, he noted, retrospectively acknowledged that Usman Buzdar was not the right choice for Punjab chief minister. However, the situation became complicated, and his removal was deemed inappropriate at that time.
Bukhari remarked that Farah Gogi is not affiliated with PTI. If the reports of her alleged corruption are true and not just a result of a media trial, then she should be strictly dealt with according to the law.
Addressing the Ring Road case against him, he contended that the charges filed were orchestrated by individuals very close to Imran Khan.
On the upcoming general elections, Bukhari said that the party will contest the polls. Last month, the federal government initiated a process to apprehend Bukhari, who is currently out of the country.
