Qureshi say PTI’s long march will remain peaceful, encourages people to participate

PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi emphasised Thursday that his party's announced long march will remain peaceful, saying that it "will be within the limits of the law and will respect the Constitutional needs." Aaj News reported.

Addressing a presser in Lahore alongside Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry, the former foreign minister said that two press conferences were held in the "last few hours which had complicated matters”.

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The media talk comes hours after Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum and Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) DG Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar held a joint press conference to shed light on the death of senior journalist Arshad Sharif and “tell the truth needed to end lies”.

Qureshi said that it has been "our wish that institutions remain in their constitutional domain".

“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," he said.

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Talking about the press conference held by PTI leader Faisal Vawda yesterday, Qureshi said that all of PTI’s rallies in the past had been peaceful.

PTI leader Faisal Vawda claimed Wednesday that journalist Arshad Sharif’s murder was “conspired in Pakistan”, adding that the evidence of the crime has been erased.

“It is being said that around 20 bullets were shot and Arshad Sharif was killed. But this did not happen. According to me, he was shot from inside the car or close range. He received 2 bullets, in the head and chest, not 20 bullets.”

“In my opinion, two bullets were fired at him, one to the head and the other to the chest by a person either sitting in the car or present at a very close range,” he stated.

He said that the establishment had no role in the killing of Arshad Sharif. “People behind this conspiracy want bloodshed in Pakistan,” he claimed.

Faisal Vawda claims Arshad Sharif’s murder ‘planned in Pakistan’

Rejecting Vawda’s claims, Qureshi said that his presser was an effort to spread fear among people. “To create fear among people, this was a weak effort which failed,” Qureshi said.

He encouraged people to participate in the long march, promising that it will be peaceful.

Qureshi said that PTI has always "respected and defended" the state institutions.

“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.

Speaking during the occasion, Asad Umar said that Imran Khan's criticism of the army was for the betterment of the institution.

"You can argue with Imran Khan's criticism, but whatever he says is for the army and the country's betterment," he claimed.

He said that Imran does not agree with every decision of the armed forces. "Are there some decisions or actions [of the armed forces] that he criticises? Yes, he definitely does that."

Umar reiterated that the Constitution empowers the PTI chief to criticise the army.