Not ISPR's job to decide Imran’s arrest ‘legality’

Fawad says attempt being made to pit people, army against each other

ISLAMABAD:

In response to Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry’s statement, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Fawad Chaudhry has said that the issue of “legality” of former premier Imran Khan's arrest is not for the DG ISPR to decide.

According to a statement issued by the military’s media wing on Wednesday – a day after the PTI chief’s arrest, Imran was arrested from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) “in line with the NAB statement and law”.

On Tuesday, the PTI chief was whisked away by security personnel from the premises of the IHC in the National Accountability Bureau’s Al-Qadir Trust case.

Fawad said, “The arrest of Imran Khan is illegal and unconstitutional. Imran Khan has not mentioned the name of General Faisal Naseer for the first time. Imran Khan has mentioned his name many times after the assassination attempt for which he should have been investigated for satisfaction but it didn't happen.”

Imran has repeatedly accused a senior military officer of being involved in the assassination attempt on his life during a rally in Wazirabad on Nov 3, 2022 during which he was shot and injured.

But recently when he reiterated his claim, the ISPR lashed out at him, saying that the PTI chief levelled "highly irresponsible and baseless allegation" against a serving senior military officer without any evidence.

"This fabricated and malicious allegation is extremely unfortunate, deplorable and unacceptable. This has been a consistent pattern for last one year wherein military and intelligence agencies officials are targeted with insinuations and sensational propaganda for the furtherance of political objectives," the ISPR stated a day ahead of Imran’s arrest on Monday.

Fawad said that the ISPR should take a real look at the events that took place after the arrest of Imran and they need to understand that “a terrible game is being played”.

He said, “An attempt is being made to pit the people and the army against each other. After the ISPR's statement, the government arrested Imran Khan.”

Fawad said, “The PTI voters are from poor- and upper-middle classes while the army is the most organised group of the middle class. The army is one of the classes represented by the PTI.”

Fawad said, “Trying to make the PTI and army fight each other is a conspiracy against the people and the country.”

The senior party leader said that the PTI represented 220 million people, among whom many people would get emotional if all the senior leadership would be arrested and put in jails. If that happened, he asked, who would be given a chance?

Fawad said that the PTI leadership condemned the incidents of the previous day and called for a peaceful protest.