- Tarar says PTI is a 'terrorist group' not fit for Pakistan.
- Imran's policy is based on slander, says information minister
- Imran Khan says he is ready to hold talks with the military.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan's statement offering talks to the military has drawn a sharp rebuke from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders, who slammed the jailed former prime minister for “dragging” the military into political matters.
The PTI founder, who appeared before a court set up at Adiala jail for a hearing today, expressed his willingness to negotiate with the military and asked the army to appoint a representative for the purpose.
Khan, who has been in jail for nearly a year, also claimed that the current government wanted to destroy his party by driving a wedge between the PTI and the armed forces.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad today, Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar said the jailed former prime minister sought dialogue with the military after the institution decided to remain apolitical, recalling that Khan himself had equated “neutral with animal” when the military announced it would stay away from political matters.
Tarar called the 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician a “security risk” to the country's economy and said Khan had earlier said “I will not forgive” and had now taken to pleading.
Censuring the PTI founder, Tarar said Khan believed in the politics of defamation.
“You are posing a security risk to the country as your people say that there is no Pakistan without the founder of PTI,” he said. He called the PTI a “terrorist group” and said that this terrorist organisation was not suitable for Pakistan.
Now, a new story has been fabricated in Adiala jail, the PML-N leader said while referring to the PTI founder's statement offering talks to the military.
The minister said, “You (Imran Khan) are bringing back terrorists to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. You are operating a cell on social media. And now you are seeking dialogue,” adding that the former prime minister tried to politicise the army for his own political interests.
The minister also noted that Khan's call for dialogue came in the context of an “improvement” in economic conditions in the country.
Similarly, PML-N leader and Punjab Chief Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also rebuked Imran Khan's call for talks, saying the “self-proclaimed revolutionary figure” has descended from his earlier stances of “I will not seek forgiveness” to seeking an apology.
The Punjab minister questioned what issues the PTI founder wanted to discuss in the dialogue with the military.
Referring to the violent protests on May 9, Aurangzeb asked the former prime minister to tender an apology to the military for “attacking the headquarters, martyrs' memorials, corps commander's house and air base, instead of demanding talks.”
