PTI founder says he wants to clear the air about 2014 sit-in
Pakistan
Says the army should not be dragged in politics
- He says the party has no issue with army
- The media talk comes a day after ISPR presser
RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder says he is ready to face an inquiry into the 2014 sit-in.
The PTI founder, who interacted with reporters at Adiala Jail a day after the ISPR presser, said he would be happy to appear before an inquiry committee. He said the allegations levelled against him regarding the dharna (sit-in) were wrong.
He said the 2013 election was the one of returning officers (ROs).
“How can one hold dialogue with the government after the caretaker prime minister’s statement about Form 47,” he said while calling the elections of prime minister, president, Punjab chief minister and Senate bogus.
Holding out an olive branch to the powers that be, he said half of his family had men in army and half bureaucrats. “This is our army and we have no issue with it. I came to know about the May 9 violence when I appeared in the Supreme Court,” he said.
He said he condemned the May 9 violence while being in the court of Justice Umar Ata Bandial.
The army, he said, should not be dragged in politics. “We have not resorted to arson in our 27-year history,” he said.
He said the PTI dissolved two governments. It did not want violence, he added.
Significance of media talk
The PTI founder’s media talk holds significance as it comes a day after Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry’s presser.
The ISPR once again said the perpetrators and facilitators of May 9 violence would have to face punishment in line with law and Constitution. The army, he said, had the evidence of wrongdoing.
He said May 9 was not Pakistan armed forces’ case but it was a case of all Pakistanis. An attempt was made to create hatred between the people of the country and armed forces, he said, adding that it’s essential to punish the perpetrators to keep faith in the judicial system intact.
