ISLAMABAD – The Pakistani military is angry at the government and political parties for trying to involve the institution in politics, claims veteran journalist Imtiaz Alam.
Commenting on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s meeting with the army chief and DG ISI in a video shared on his YouTube channel, he said the Army has laid down its stance in concrete terms that there was no martial law in the country and the state institution wants to keep its distance from ongoing politics.
He mused that the military leadership had taken a forceful tone in this matter and had made it clear to PM Imran and the Opposition that the Army was to be kept out of politics.
Alam said one example of this stance on getting dragged into political comments was DG ISPR General Babar Iftikhar’s statement on the PDM’s announcement of a political stage in Rawalpindi or Islamabad. He reiterated that this statement came after the top generals met with the PM on Friday and again the next day. The senior journalist said it was his assessment that the Army had made it clear that politicians should handle their matters on their own and refer to the parliament, the Supreme Court, and other institutions for the resolution of their political problems.
Alam said the ISPR’s sober and calculated response on opposition parties’ attempts to drag the army as selectors and the de-facto rulers was commendable. He added that the meeting between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders (PML-N) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Nawaz Sharif was of great importance as they had decided that the PML-N would honour the Army’s wishes to stay away from politics in their future statements.
PDM doesn t need to come to Rawalpindi, if they come, we will offer tea: DG ISPR
