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Pakistan Army ‘aghast’ at Imran Khan’s ‘defamatory’ statement against military’s senior leadership

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  • Pakistan Army expresses displeasure over Imran Khan’s recent statement.
  • “Unfortunate, disappointing”, army says on making COAS appointment controversial.
  • ISPR says senior army leadership’s “patriotic credentials beyond any doubt”.

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistani Army Monday expressed displeasure over PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s recent statement against the military and said it was “aghast” over it.

In a public rally in Faisalabad, the PTI chairman called out the government, saying that it was delaying the elections to appoint an army chief of its own and that if a “patriotic chief of army staff comes in, he will not spare the incumbent rulers.”

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement, said that the army was “aghast” at the defamatory and uncalled-for statements about the senior leadership of the military by the PTI chairman during a Faisalabad rally. 

The military’s media wing said that regrettably, an attempt was made to discredit and undermine the senior leadership of the army at a time when the institution was laying lives for the “security and safety of the people every day”.

The army said that senior politicians trying to stir controversies over the appointment of the COAS, the procedure for which is well-defined in the Constitution, is “most unfortunate and disappointing”.

The ISPR said the senior leadership of the army has decades-long impeccable and meritorious service to prove its “patriotic and professional credentials beyond any doubt”.

Politicising the senior leadership of the Pakistan Army and scandalising the process of selection of the COAS is neither in the interest of the state of Pakistan nor of the institution, it noted.

“Pakistan Army reiterates its commitment to uphold[ing] the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” the military’s media wing added.

Nawaz, Zardari ‘fear’ patriotic army chief

In his speech at a jalsa in Faisalabad this Sunday, the PTI chairman said the coalition government was stalling the elections as they wanted to “appoint an army chief of their own choice.”

The PTI chairman said that PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and former premier Nawaz Sharif “feared” a strong and patriotic army chief, who could hold them accountable for the looted money they had stashed abroad.

The former prime minister said a new army chief was going to be appointed in November this year, and they [Zaradri and Nawaz] jointly wanted to appoint a favourite [general] as the next army chief.

Both have committed corruption worth billions, and they wanted to appoint an army chief who could protect them and their corruption, Imran Khan alleged.

The PTI chair alleged that PM Shehbaz, his brother Nawaz, and Zardari had been involved in laundering the public money, and the two families had been looting the national exchequer for the last 30 years.

Ruling coalition castigates Imran

Hours before the military’s response, the ruling coalition had castigated the PTI chairman for his remarks at the Faisalabad jalsa.

In a joint statement, the ruling coalition condemned Khan’s public meeting for spreading hatred against the Pakistan Army and its leadership and making “sensitive professional matters” controversial.

The entire nation is battling floods, while the PTI chairman is consumed by a thirst for revenge and his pride, the statement said, noting that despite the cataclysmic floods, Khan is targetting the armed forces.

The ruling partners said that the serious allegations being levelled against the military are for three reasons: to disturb the country’s economy, to move Pakistan’s economy to a path that it becomes like that of Sri Lanka, and foster enmity between the nation and the armed forces.

“With the power of the Constitution and law, we will thwart this nefarious conspiracy and deal with the conspirators in line with the constitution and law,” the statement said.

IHC questions Khan’s intentions

In another related development earlier in the day, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah — during a hearing against PEMRA — asked whether Khan wanted to hurt the morale of the armed forces by delivering anti-military speeches.

“Did you hear Imran Khan’s speech from yesterday? Do political leaders deliver such speeches? Will everything be put at stake just for the sake of a ‘Game of Thrones’?” the IHC CJ asked Khan’s counsel, making a reference to the popular television drama in which nine noble families wage war against each other to gain control over a mythical land.

IHC CJ Minallah said that the armed forces lay their lives for the nation and in a case where someone is involved in illegal activity, everyone should not be criticised over it.

“Hold yourself accountable for your actions. You [Khan] want to issue statements as per your wishes and don’t want the regulator to do its job?”

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Forecast: rain and thunderstorms for Punjab, KP, and other regions of the nation

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In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Punjab, Islamabad, and north Balochistan, rain, windstorms, and thunderstorms are predicted by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

Over the next 24 hours, the Met Office predicts that there will be isolated areas of heavy rainfall in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir, while dust storms are anticipated in the country’s southern regions.

In upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, moderate to heavy rains may cause landslides and impact vulnerable areas between the evening of March 29 and the morning of March 30.

Lightning, hail, and windstorms can harm loose objects like solar panels, cars, power poles, and standing crops. It is essential that farmers and tourists exercise caution during this time.

The synoptic situation indicates that a westerly wave that is affecting the country’s western and upper regions is probably going to stay there through March 31.

Over the course of the previous day, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, north Balochistan, upper and central Punjab, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan experienced rain, wind, and thunderstorms. In other regions of the nation, the weather was partly cloudy.

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Elections

Plans are being finalized for the April 2 Senate elections.

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As ballots are being printed, the final preparations are being made for the Senate elections that are set on April 2.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sources that state that printing presses in Islamabad and Karachi are producing the ballot sheets.

According to the sources, ballots for the Senate elections are being printed in four different colors.

According to ECP officials, green ballot paper would be used for technocrat seats and white ballot paper for general seats.

Likewise, ballots for the minority and women’s seats would be yellow and pink, respectively.

On April 2, 48 Senate seats are up for election. The National Assembly and each of the four province assembly will host polling places.

In the meantime, the Punjab Assembly hall has been designated as a Senate election polling place. According to a notification from the Speaker, the polling would take place from 9 AM to 4 PM.

On April 2, voting for the seats reserved for women, minorities, and technocrats would take place in the Punjab Assembly polling place.

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The prime minister reorganizes the Common Interests Council.

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The Council of Common Interests has been reconfigured by Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif.

Additionally, the notification to this effect was released following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s consent.

The announcement states that the foreign minister, rather than the finance minister, has been included in the CCI for the first time in the nation’s history. Prime Minister Sharif will preside over the eight-member Council of Common Interests.

The announcement stated that the four chief ministers would be members of the CCI. Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister, has been admitted to the CCI.

The notification states that Safron Minister Engineer Amir Muqam and Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif will also be on the CCI. Commencing on March 21, the Council of Common Interests has been constituted.


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