RAWALPINDI: PTI’s founder Imran Khan has again asked Army Chief Gen Asim Munir to be neutral as overall situation in country is very serious. A day after Omar Ayub surprised many by conveying a ‘friendly’ message from his party’s founder to the army chief, Imran Khan’s sister also came out with a similar narrative, leaving many to wonder how the PTI came to have a change of heart regarding the military.
The apparent change in the PTI’s stance — which has held the powerful military establishment responsible for the party’s recent misfortunes — comes days after some material against the army chief was posted on the party’s official website.
This led to a number of arrests, with party spokesperson Raoof Hasan and some members of the PTI social media team being held in a crackdown.
Speaking to reporters after meeting her brother in Adiala jail on Friday, Aleema Khan requested Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir to “become neutral”.
Quoting Imran Khan, she said that CCTV footage should be used to identify those who were really responsible for mayhem on May 9, while the innocent people who were languishing in jails should be freed.
She said that Mr Khan had always called for peaceful protests, adding, “We have never given a malicious call.”
Relaying her brother’s message, she said that the PML-N and PPP had lost the moral high ground and wanted to pit the PTI and army against each other.
The army is the backbone of Pakistan and “we don’t want the army and the people to be brought face to face”, she said.
If there is no rule of law, how will the country move forward, she asked, quoting her brother.
Businesses and the economy have been destroyed, and people are leaving the country for greener pastures, she said.
Talking about Friday’s legal proceedings, she said that her brother’s legal team was not allowed inside the jail and police told the judge that the lawyers had not shown up, when they were actually standing outside. In response, she claimed, the judge adjourned the hearing and left the courtroom.
Aleema Khan repeated that her brother and PTI founder Imran Khan had asked the military to stay neutral if Pakistan had to move forward.
Speaking to the media on the jail premises here, she alleged that Adiala jail was under the military control. She said all the family members met Imran but the lawyers were not allowed access.
According to her, Imran told his family that the PMLN and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were morally bankrupt and the current government was deliberately trying to pit the PTI and armed forces against each other to achieve its political motives.
“Imran said the military is the backbone of Pakistan,” Aleema quoted her brother as saying. She added that Imran had approached the court to prevent his handover to the army.
She also disclosed that multiple offers had been made to send the PTI chief abroad, but he was determined to stay in Pakistan and ensure that the military and people were not pitted against each other.
“How will the country move forward without the rule of law and democracy? Businesses have been destroyed, and people are leaving the country,” she quoted Imran Khan as saying, emphasizing his appeal to the military to stay neutral.
Bushra Bibi provided details of 12 cases
Meanwhile, Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh disposed of a plea after the details sought through it about cases faced by PTI founding chairman Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi were provided.
The petitioner had sought details of fresh and pending detention orders, notices, inquiries and FIRs lodged against her with a request to restrain the authorities from arresting her till she had access to justice by approaching the relevant courts for relief.
A report submitted by the police before the court carried the details of 12 cases. However, the petitioner’s counsel objected, claiming that they had earlier been told that there were 11 cases involving her.
Justice Tariq Sheikh remarked that the counsel had demanded the details that had been given to them and now they could approach the relevant forums for bail.
The assistant advocate general told the court that all details had been provided as per the prayer. The judge disposed of the petition.
The petition had been filed through Sardar Latif Khan Khosa, naming as respondents the provincial government, inspector general of police, the anti-corruption DIG and Federal Investigation Agency cybercrime director.
Bail extension
An anti-terrorism court extended till August 3 the pre-arrest bail of over 30 suspects in the May 9 last year’s riots and sought the case record.
The bail of Muhammad Asif, Azeem, Zohaib and other was extended.
The Sarwar Road police had lodged an FIR against them and others in connection the riots.