PTI Chief says Criticism of Army is Constructive

News
September 7, 2022

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, during his speech at a PTI rally in Peshawar on Tuesday, explained that his criticism of the army was “constructive and for its own improvement” as opposed to the comments made in the past by incumbent government leaders clips of which were shown on the big screen in front of PTI supporters as he tried making his point.

PTI Constructive criticism:

“Those from the PML-N should get this straight that we are the people who would strengthen this country’s institutions,” he said. “And even if we do criticize our army, it is for their betterment. What we do is constructive criticism.”

Referring to his remarks at the Faisalabad rally on Sunday, where he had alleged the PPP and PML-N were opposing fresh elections because they wanted to “appoint an army chief of their choice” in November to save their skin in corruption cases — the PTI chief said that he had called for the selection of the army chief to be based on merit.

The PTI chief also slammed the PML-N for attacking the judiciary. “When I started politics 26 years back, we were the first to stand up for the judiciary. There was only one leader who went to jail for the judiciary and boycotted the 2008 elections for them,” he said.

PTI believes in rule of law; the PTI chief says

Imran khan pointed out that the PTI always respected the judiciary because it believed in the rule of law. Referring to his comments on additional sessions judge Zeba Chaudhry, the ex-premier said that if it seemed like he had used a hard tone against her it was because he had seen the “custodial torture of Shahbaz Gill”.

“If it looked like my statements were harsh, this was not my intention. I can’t even think of threatening a judge,” Imran said. At the beginning of his address, Imran claimed that the government was trying to create misunderstandings between the Pakistan Army and the country’s “largest party”.

Gov trying to turn institutions against PTI:

“This gang of robbers has realized that they can’t defeat us. The three stooges know that they can’t win by playing the match […] So, now they are trying to disqualify me. Sometimes it is Toshakhana, sometimes it is the election commission. They have declared me to be a terrorist in court.

“They are just trying to stop Imran Khan from playing the match,” he said. Imran went on to allege that the government was hatching “dangerous conspiracies” that included turning the institutions against the PTI only to “win the match”.

“They have a propaganda cell that only tries to turn whatever I say against the army or the judiciary.” But, Imran said that people were now “politically aware”.

Enough is Enough:

The ex-premier had alleged the PPP and PML-N were opposing fresh elections because they wanted to “appoint an army chief of their choice” in November purportedly to save their skin in corruption cases.

Imran, who had stayed mum on the matter since Sunday, said on Tuesday that he was following the “intense propaganda” against him that had been launched by the “PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) cabal of crooks”.

PML-N Calls Imran “Enemy of the State”

Meanwhile, PML-N said the “enemy of the state has come out all guns blazing against the state institutions”. It added in a tweet that from the ECP to the judiciary, to the police and armed forces, Khan is “having a go at anyone who’s unwilling to bow down to his fascism”.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also strongly criticized Imran, alleging that he was insulting the Constitution, the dignity of the Pakistan Army, and the honor of martyrs.

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz said that Imran’s stance about Pakistan was conditional, calling on the “curse” to be dealt with.

A day earlier, Maryam Nawaz Shareef had called for an end to treating Imran like a political leader, claiming that the country would go downhill if he was not treated like a “double-dealer”.

As Reported by the Media Team of the Youth Diplomacy Forum