Imran Khan, the leader of the ruling coalition’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), referred to the army chief on Saturday as a “terrorist masquerading as a politician,” which the opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) vehemently condemned.
The comments followed Imran’s statement the day before to journalists at the Islamabad High Court (IHC). n which he blamed “one man” for the army’s negative reputation. In addition, he said, “no democracy” existed among the armed forces.
He told reporters from other countries yesterday that “politicians are like sacred cows, who commit corruption. They go into immunity, like the NRO, or you have a military that is above the law,” meaning that there is no way for there to be rule of law in Pakistan.
The PDM released a statement calling the former prime minister a “terrorist in the guise of a politician.” Who was criticizing the COAS for “refusing to interfere in politics” and upholding the Constitution?
Those who “launched a dirty campaign against the martyrs of Lasbela” are “now running a campaign against the army and COAS,” the statement claimed.
The Cabinet will show no mercy to anyone responsible for the May 9 violence.
The “problem,” according to the statement, was that the PTI leader no longer had the “facility to offer extensions.” [to those in power] behind closed doors and “in the president’s house.”
One “terrorist facilitator and his armed group” were shown as being at war with another “anti-terrorism army and its commander,” according to the document. They were “well aware of the corruption” by Imran and his group, the PDM said. So “baseless accusations” were concocted against the army and its head.
According to the document, “[Imran] was pursuing an external agenda of creating division. Among the army and people” when he attacked Jinnah House, Radio Pakistan, martyrs, and national monuments.
According to the PDM, “the terror” was to blame for the return of terrorists to Pakistan.
The PDM statement made a veiled reference to Pakistan’s Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial. They concluded that the deposed premier’s remark was a reprimand. A mirror for those who were “happy to see him” and gave him a “judicial NRO” (National Reconciliation Order).
