Pakistan ex-PM Imran admits he offered extension to Army chief Bajwa

Imran Khan's remarks came after Pakistan's ISI chief Lt. Gen. Nadeem Najum revealed that the Army Chief was given a "lucrative offer" for an indefinite extension in his tenure

Pakistan's ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan has admitted that he offered an extension in the tenure of Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in March amid the opposition's attempt to topple his government.

Mr. Khan's remarks came after Pakistan's ISI chief Lt. Gen. Nadeem Najum revealed at an unprecedented press conference on Thursday that the Army Chief was given a "lucrative offer" for an indefinite extension in his tenure in March this year.

"It was made in front of me. He (Gen Bajwa) rejected it because he wanted the institution to move forward from a controversial role to a constitutional role," the ISI chief said, without naming former premier Mr. Khan.

Mr. Khan told 92 News TV in an interview on Thursday that he told the Army Chief that if the then opposition was offering him an extension, then he could do the same, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.

“I repeatedly warned Gen Bajwa that if this no-confidence motion succeeds, it will have a direct impact on the economy and no one would be able to control it as the economy will go into a tailspin,” he said.

Mr. Khan said he also asked the top military leaders “as to why did they hold a press conference to discuss political matters if they were apolitical”.

Gen. Anjum addressed the first-ever media interaction by any ISI chief in Pakistan's history on Thursday.