PTI leader Asad Umar on Thursday, in response to a press conference by ISI chief Lt-Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum and ISPR Director General
Lt-Gen Babar Iftikhar said that his party chief never made any unconstitutional demands in “back door talks”.
In a media talk flanked by party leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari and Hammad Azhar, Asad Umar said that the matters discussed behind closed doors were no “secret”.
“Imran Khan has discussed them in rallies and press conferences. The demands have been in front of the public since forever.”
Umar said that Imran owned both the army and the country. “But will Imran Khan agree with every decision taken by the army? Are there actions or decisions that he criticises on? Absolutely. This is his constitutional right.”
You may not agree with the criticism but in Imran Khan’s point of view, these are all things that if followed, would lead to the betterment of the army and the country, he said.
Umar also clarified that Imran had never said anything that would weaken the army. “So these things should be reviewed […] maybe there is a need for consideration.”
Meanwhile, in response to a question, he confirmed meetings on an extension for Gen Bajwa. However, he added that if such talks behind closed doors were brought out into the open then “who knows what talks [Imran Khan] will start bringing out.”
At the beginning of the media talk, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that two press conferences were held in the last few hours and both had “further complicated matters”.
“We think a new Pandora box has been opened,” he said, pointing that a prominent thread in the press conference held by the military’s top brass today was that the institutions had decided to stay apolitical.
“This was always our wish […] according to the Constitution, every institution has a role and if every institution remains and works within its role then it will be easier and no difficulties will be created.”
Qureshi continued that it was being said that PTI was trying to spur political instability. “We did not create political instability, instead, we are representing its solution, we think political instability has arrived and are presenting a democratic solution i.e. elections.”
The PTI leader added that PTI had always respected institutions and defended them. “To give the perception that we want to damage the sanctity of institution is contrary to reality. Imran Khan has had a stance and said again and again that a strong army is the need of Pakistan,” he said.
However, in an answer to a question from media persons, Qureshi said that if the military was apolitical, it “should not have held this press conference at all.”
