The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has sought re-evaluation of state policies even as it slammed the administration’s stance of labelling all dissent and political opposition as ‘anti-state’.
The party went on to warn the PML-N-led ruling dispensation that such activities can brew conflict, and create a law and order situation.
The party’s response came after a statement issued by the Director General of the Inter-Services-Public-Relations (the media wing of the Pakistan military) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry in a press conference on Dec 27, where he labelled PTI as the mastermind behind the May 9 riots in 2023.
The riots, which were caused by the incarceration of the party’s founder and the country’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan led to large scale property destruction, including torching of military installations, vandalism, total collapse of law and order, and over ten deaths.
The trials against the coordinators of the riots were controversial, as they were charged in military, instead of civilian courts. Over 85 civilians were given sentences ranging from two to ten years last week.
As per Dawn, the PTI leadership termed the ISPR statement “an old wine in a new bottle”, while emphasising the need for freedom of expression and constitutional justice.
PTI’s Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram, who outlined the party’s concerns in a detailed press release, criticised the use of military courts in judicial matters, warning of the detrimental effects on the constitutional system.
Condemning the state-stance, Akram called the military court verdicts an “attack on democratic rights”, as well as the blocking of roads and arrests of peaceful protesters.
“Peaceful protest is a constitutional right of every political party. Why are roads blocked and unarmed workers arrested under Article 245?” he questioned.
When questioned on the May 9 riots, Akram stressed that the issue can not be resolved through press conferences or rhetoric. He also rejected ‘intimidation and threats’ as solutions, reiterating his party’s demand for a high-level independent judicial inquiry based on credible evidence including CCTV footage.
The PTI statement blamed the current chaos in the country on “flawed state policies and narratives”.
“The state’s unrealistic and divisive approach is creating conflict between institutions and the people,” the PTI leader said, urging a fundamental shift in the state’s thinking and behaviour.
Pointing to the party’s rule in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, which Akram called a “success story”, he urged for more responsible governance, saying that “The country and its 240 million people are suffering because of the state machinery’s misplaced priorities.”
He urged the government to focus on addressing public grievances and fostering unity rather than relying on heavy-handed tactics.
