KARACHI: 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.
“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 criticise 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.
“Any person who is a well-wisher of someone would always want selection on the basis of merit. This is the world’s principle […] what did I say wrong?
My criticism of army is ‘constructive’, claims Imran Khan in Peshawar rally
“And along with that, I had said that Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari should not select the country’s army chief,” he recalled, adding that an absconder and criminal should not be given the power to appoint the country’s army chief. Imran also referred to the Dawn Leaks, saying that it had revealed that the PML-N and Nawaz never backed the army.
Firing broadsides at former president Asif Ali Zardari, he said that the PPP leader had approached the United States to “protect his government”.
“Will we give [the selection] of these important posts to these people? Never.”
‘Statement against sessions’ judge not intentional’
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.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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