ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chastised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday for openly smearing Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir.
“PTI’s vile slander campaign against Chief of the Army Staff General Asim Munir at Imran Niazi’s direction is deserving of the harshest condemnation,” the Prime Minister tweeted.
Afterward, A PM Office news release called the COAS campaign unacceptable and a conspiracy against national institutions.
“This man Niazi [Imran Khan] is falling to unprecedented lows in his desperation for power & going to the level of harming the country & undermining our armed services & their leadership,” the premier stated, criticising the PTI chairman again.
Khan, a former cricketer, was prime minister from 2018 to 2022, when a legislative vote deposed him. Since then, he has held nationwide protests calling for a fast election.
Shehbaz, his successor as prime minister, rejected his request. He stated that the elections will be on time as scheduled.
Khan, 70, faces multiple legal proceedings, including one that led to a failed arrest attempt on Tuesday when a court issued warrants for his arrest for not appearing before it.
The prime minister asked overseas Pakistanis to speak out against the “foreign-funded” campaign. He advised expatriates not to join the political conspiracy.
Moreover, The PM said Imran Khan was breaking the constitution by involving institutions and their leaders in his “dirty” politics.
The prime minister ordered the interior minister to punish people smearing institutions.
He warned that turmoil and rebellion will be punished legally.
Pakistan’s economic crisis has sparked new political turmoil as Khan’s followers clash with security forces.
Government and military dispute this
While, Khan claims the government and powerful military are conspiring to prevent him from running in November’s election. Khan might lose the election if convicted.
He stated that anti-Pakistan elements would only oppose a merit-based army leader for the first time in the country’s history.
“The nation stands by its institutions and is unified against miscreants,” the prime minister said.
Moreover, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry responded to PM Shehbaz’s tweets by stating such slanderous words were aimed to divide the people and the army chief for political advantage.
“Let me make it clear PTI has nothing to do with any slanderous campaign against Army Chief, rather we expect his good office to play role in normalising Pak politics by helping ECP to hold peaceful and transparent elections,” Fawad tweeted.
