In a reference to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said those who were enemies of the Pakistan Army were enemies of the country.
He was addressing a meeting of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf where he spoke about the planned protest movement to be launched by the country’s opposition parties.
Pakistan’s largest opposition parties including the PPP, the PML-N and the JUI-F have formed a multi-party alliance known as the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
The PDM has called for PM’s resignation and announced protests all over the country starting October 11 in Quetta.
During the party meeting, Khan said there were no tensions in the current civil-military relations between the government and the armed forces.
“The opposition has a problem with the army because they [armed forces] always catch their corruption,” he said.
The prime minister criticised Sharif’s diatribe against the army, saying that his statements appease India saying, “Nawaz Sharif is toeing India’s narrative.”
He said those who were enemies of the armed forces were enemies of Pakistan, calling on the whole nation to stay united “in the face of an Indian conspiracy”. He said the government will defend its institutions.
Khan’s comments came a day after PML-N supremo Nawaz lashed out at the security establishment and the government, saying that he will no longer remain silent.
He was addressing a PML-N central working committee meeting via a video link from London.
“Nawaz Sharif is not made of the kind of stuff who will remain silent on dual standards of accountability,” he said, warning “no-one should try to silence me”.
He said although the prime minister is to blame for the country’s current state, “it is those who brought him into power who are truly responsible”.
“They will have to explain,” Nawaz had said.
As he began his address, he spoke of how it had been a long time since such an address had taken place.
“I am addressing you all after a long time. And in these two-and-a-half years we have all endured much.”
“But it is with God’s grace we are seeing each other now,” Nawaz had said.
“When I look at the state the country is in, it saddens me deeply,” the former prime minister had said. “We were on such a great path to progress and look at where we are now.”
Nawaz said he sees a world of a difference between the Pakistan of a few years ago and the one before us now. “I do not understand why this has happened.”
“We were so prosperous until 2018. Our tenure lasted 2013-2018 and with your prayers and God’s mercy and your support from 2013-2017, I was prime minister,” he had said.
“I and my team sitting here and also those not here, such as Shahbaz Sharif who is in jail, are paying for crimes not committed together.”
“These are not empty words, you yourself have witnessed the fruits of our efforts,” Nawaz had said.
Imran Khan
