Hardly Anyone "Licked" As Many Shoes As Imran Khan: Pak Defence Minister

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, alleging that after the retirement of former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, the opposition party is begging "someone else" for relief, Geo News reported.

Taking a jibe at Mr Khan, the senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said, "Hardly anyone has licked as many shoes as the PTI founder."

Addressing the National Assembly, Khwaja Asif cited the remarks of Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Aun Chaudhry. He alleged that Imran Khan was taken to General (retd) Amjad Awan's house by hiding him in a car trunk.

Mr Asif further claimed that the jailed PTI founder made every kind of desperate request to seek relief.

"After Bajwa sahib, they [PTI] are now trying to hold the feet of someone else. Hardly anyone has 'licked' as many shoes as the PTI founder," Geo News quoted the federal minister as saying.

These remarks come in response to PTI Secretary-General Omar Ayub Khan's address in the lower house of Parliament wherein he slammed the federal government for presenting a budget against the interests of the nation and the country.

"This budget was made by an economic hitman," said Mr Ayub, who is also the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly.

Taking a jibe at Mr Ayub, Mr Asif said his speech reminded him of his 20-year-old statements wherein he would praise PML-N leaders Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif in the same way he was hailing PTI founder Imran Khan.

The Pakistan Defence minister said that the PML-N would welcome the PTI if it apologised for the May 9 riots that broke out after the arrest of former premier Imran Khan.

The PML-N leader also slammed the opposition party for writing a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), asking the global lender to link funding to the audit of alleged rigging in the elections, Geo News reported.

"After being ousted from power, the PTI wanted the country to default," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)