My criticism of army is ‘constructive’, claims Imran Khan in Peshawar rally

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Tuesday that his criticism of the army was “constructive and for its own improvement,” Aaj News reported.

“Those from the PML-N should get this straight that we are the people who would strengthen this country’s institutions,” he said while addressing a large public gathering in Peshawar.

“If we criticise our army, it is for their betterment. What we do is constructive criticism.”

During his address, Imran Khan played multiple video clips of incumbent government leaders to claim that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders had made severe remarks against the army leadership when they were in opposition.

He noted that his comments during the Faisalabad rally were blown out of proportion by the PDM leaders to create misunderstandings between the army and the country’s “largest party”.

“This gang of robbers has realised that they can’t defeat us. The three stooges know that they can’t win by playing the match […] So, now they are trying to disqualify me. They have declared me to be a terrorist in the court.”

But, Imran said that people were now “politically aware”.

“Today, I want to tell you that until and unless our institutions are not strong, the country can not succeed,” the PTI chief said. “The nation has realised that they [the PDM] are trying to pit the PTI against the institutions.

“So, their efforts to push PTI against the wall […] listen to me […] the more you try to push PTI against the wall, the more I will fight you.”

‘Enough is enough’

Earlier in the day, the PTI chief took to Twitter and said “enough is enough” as he hit out at those “deliberately distorting” his remarks about the future army chief’s appointment, as the PML-N termed him an “enemy of the state”.

His comments about the appointment triggered fierce criticism from the coalition government as well as a tersely worded statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The ex-premier had alleged the PPP and PML-N were opposing fresh elections because they wanted to “appoint an army chief of their choice” in November purportedly to save their skin in corruption cases.

YouTube down again

Meanwhile, YouTube services were disrupted again in parts of Pakistan on Tuesday evening, internet monitoring group NetBlocks confirmed.

The disruption was reported during PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s address at a party power show in Peshawar.

Before NetBlocks' confirmation, many social media users had reported the disruption.

In a Twitter post, PTI leader and former human rights minister Shireen Mazari said: “So YouTube blocked again suddenly by this fascist imported govt and its handlers. Really sick mindsets.”