KARACHI – Spewing of venom against the country’s institutions won’t be tolerated, Asif Ali Zardari warned on Saturday, a day after Pakistani military rejected allegations by premier Imran Khan against a senior army officer along with top government officials for plotting to kill him.
In a statement on PPP’s official handle, the PPP co-chairperson said Imran Khan is crossing every line to spread anarchy in Pakistan, saying the former premier neither cares about the country’s integrity nor its institutions.
Zardari mentioned that the defiant politician could not see anything but power, however, he vowed not to let the conspiracy against institutions succeed, saying Pakistan’s survival depends on the survival of its institutions.
Tensions escalated in Pakistan on Friday as former Prime Minister Imran Khan blamed establishment figures for a plot to kill him – a claim strenuously denied by governing and security officials.
A day after escaping an assassination plot, the PTI chief on Friday gave a rambling speech from the hospital where he blamed Prime Minister Shabaz Sharif, interior minister Rana Sanaullah and a senior intelligence official for the plot against him.
Army rejects Khan’s allegations against senior officer
Pakistani military media wing rejected the allegations by PTI Chairman Imran Khan against the institution and particularly a senior army officer as baseless and irresponsible, terming it “absolutely unacceptable and uncalled for”.
“Pakistan army prides itself for being an extremely professional and well disciplined organisation with a robust and highly effective internal accountability system applicable across the board for unlawful acts, if any, committed by uniformed personnel. However, if the honour, safety and prestige of its rank and file is being tarnished by vested interests through frivolous allegations, the institution will jealousy safeguard its officers and soldiers no matter what,” the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement late on Friday.
Amid deepening political tensions, several politicians called on the PTI chief to have negotiations if he believes in democracy and the supremacy of the law.
