In a major development, former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder chairman Imran Khan has written an open letter to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, urging for review of policies while explaining the reasons for what he called the gap between public and the Army.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed to the media in Rawalpindi that the founder chairman had written the letter. He clarified that writing a letter by the party founder to the army chief was not a policy shift but he wrote the letter as a former prime minister.
Gohar said the party founder has said that “the gap between the Army and the people should not increase”. The founder’s letter, he noted, would be released to the media; while the party supremo gave details of the letter to nine journalists.
Gohar told the media that Imran Khan said that the Pakistani Army is making a lot of sacrifices. He quoted the party founder “we do not want chaos, the Army is ours”. Meanwhile, talking to the media outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry also confirmed the letter. He noted the letter drew the attention of the arm chief to the fact that in the current situation, a change in policies is the need of the hour.
The PTI lawyer said that the Army belongs to the country and not to any one person. He added there is no need to tell how the letter was sent to the army chief. “When it comes to talks of peace or improving matters with the establishment, the government’s temperature does not come down. The Army is ours and is making sacrifices for its nation,” Faisal said.
He noted that in the letter, Imran said that the war against terrorism can be won by the people standing behind the Army, whereas a gulf has been created between the people and the Army, which gives the impression of distance. He explained the founder presented six points in the letter and also explained the reasons behind creation of the gulf.
He said the first point raised in the letter is that the February 8 elections were rigged and this was done in collaboration with money launderers, due to which a distance has been created between the people and the institutions.
Second point is that the judiciary was controlled through the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which was brought to destroy the justice system. This amendment is to provide cover for cases and election fraud. The purpose of delaying the decision of the 190 million reference is to file appeals with favourite judges.
Faisal said another main point is that the black law of Peca has been brought to put ban on social media. This was brought to restrict expression of opinion and bring forward favourite voices; under this law, the IT industry has suffered a loss of $2 billion dollars while Pakistan’s GSP Plus status is also in danger due to this law.
In the fourth point, it is said that all institutions in the country have been deployed to crush the PTI, due to which their attention has been diverted from their real work. “Our western border is sensitive, and that the military martyrs are ours.”
In the fifth point, it has been said that the judiciary and court orders are being ignored, and its consequences are also falling on the Pakistan Army. Unseen forces in the jail do not allow the implementation of court orders. When the police came inside the jail to interrogate Bushra Bibi, they were not allowed to interrogate her on the instructions of some unknown force. These policies should be changed and kept in accordance with the Constitution and law so that political instability in the country ends and economic stability is moved towards. For the future of the country, the policies implemented over the past three years should be changed.
Faisal said that as a former prime minister, it is Imran’s responsibility to identify the steps being taken to the detriment of the country. On the issue of Junaid Akbar being made president of PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Imran said that there is no distrust in Ali Amin Gandapur.
“…The protest of November 26 was our constitutional right, and there is no justification for firing on unarmed peaceful people. Both the protests (May 9 and November 26) were in accordance with the Constitution and law. The demand for a judicial commission was made so that the truth comes out,” he quoted the PTI founder as saying.
Adviser to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the PTI founder had long been involved in a campaign against national institutions. Speaking in Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Kay Sath,” he said that Imran Khan wanted to create misunderstandings between the people and the army. “However, if the army weakens, will there be a government of the PTI in KP? No, after it, they will rule the province who the army is fighting and killing on the border. It will also embolden nationalists in Balochistan,” he added.
He maintained that Imran Khan was either willfully doing it or he has no understanding of the situation but he has supported terrorists by writing the letter. “Personnel of the army and other law enforcement agencies are laying down their lives, what else can they do?” he asked.
Shakeel Anjum adds: Talking to the media outside Adiala Jail, Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan stated that judges are being appointed in the judiciary with the sole purpose of keeping the PTO founder in jail.
She revealed that Imran Khan has said that the way things are unfolding these days makes it clear that the objective is to keep him (Imran) imprisoned and to dismantle the PTI. She further stated that for the past three years, various conspiracies have been in motion, all aimed at ensuring that the PTI founder remains behind bars and that PTI is completely eradicated.
“The founder’s government was removed, people were subjected to oppression, the false flag operation of May 9 was staged, and 100,000 raids were conducted on homes. On February 8, everyone’s votes were stolen, and thieves and criminals were placed in the assembly,” Aleema said.
She also claimed that the 26th Amendment was introduced to bring in judges of choice. “There are individuals in our judiciary who can deliver justice, but they (the authorities) need judges who will punish and keep the PTI founder in jail.”
Aleema Khan further mentioned that the £190 million case verdict was given so that high court judges could uphold the sentence during appeals. She alleged that this appeal could be deliberately prolonged for two to three years.
She also claimed that new judges are being appointed in the Supreme Court with the agenda of keeping the PTI founder in jail. Additionally, the peca law was introduced to control social media.
“Today, laws are being made to imprison anyone who speaks on social media. The rule of law has been crushed to such an extent that none of us can expect justice from the courts,” she concluded.
