A file photo Mushahidullah Khan. PHOTO: INP
ISLAMABAD: Senator and senior minister of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Musahidullah Khan has tendered his resignation over a comment he made claiming the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) plotted to topple the civil and military leadership during the PTI sit-ins last year.
In an interview to
BBC Urdu at the first anniversary of the sit-ins, Federal Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan said the conspiracy was foiled after a civilian intelligence agency, Intelligence Bureau (IB), intercepted a call of then ISI chief Lieutenant General Zaheerul Islam who was allegedly giving instruction to create chaos during the sit-ins and take control of the PM House.
In a statement released on Saturday, Information Minister Pervez Rashid said Khan, who is currently in the Maldives, has sent his resignation to the prime minister.
Rashid added that the minister, on his return, will furnish his resignation and provide an explanation in person to the premier.
Read: Troubling claims: ISI ex-chief plotted to topple govt, says Mushahid
On Friday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif asked Mushahidullah to explain the basis of his remarks.
Later during the day, the army’s spokesperson General Asim Bajwa also termed any reports about a “tape” as baseless rumours.
“The story about any tape recording as being discussed in media is totally baseless, unfounded and farthest from truth,” Bajwa said, adding, “Such rumours are irresponsible and unprofessional.”
Read: Nawaz asks Mushahidullah to explain claims made in BBC interview
In the interview, the senior minister disclosed that Islam had hatched a conspiracy to oust both Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif and the prime minister.
The minister had claimed that the recording had been presented to the premier, who had subsequently passed it on to the army chief.
