ISLAMABAD: In a big blow to the powers that be who are believed to be orchestrating the dismantling of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party bigwig Asad Umar on Wednesday stood his ground and declared his unconditional loyalty to the party except quitting party’s secretary general slot and core committee membership.
Speaking at a presser soon after his release from Adiala Jail after 15-days of “solitary confinement,” Umar, who was the party secretary general, said he is not going to quit the party except relinquishing the charge of PTI secretary general and its core committee membership.
He said that the myriad of issues confronting the country can only be solved through elections, for which five major stakeholders – the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the superior judiciary, the powerful military, the PTI which he insisted is the most popular political party of the country, and the masses should play their due role and engage in dialogue for which the chief justice of Pakistan has also been advocating.
He stressed this while highlighting the deteriorating economic condition and the skyrocketing inflation in the country, adding if no one is benefitting from the situation for the last over one-year, all five stakeholders need to contemplate upon finding a tangible solution to the issue.
He showered praise on his party chief Imran Khan, recalling that “Imran Khan as prime minister of the country, has always been saying that a strong military is more important for the country than him”.
Umar said that the most dangerous thing that happened on May 9 was that military installations were attacked which the PTI never supported.
He recalled Imran Khan as saying that “if there had been no strong military, the situation in Pakistan could have been no different than what Syria and Yemen had to go through”.
He condemned the May 9 incident and demanded a thorough probe into the incident and called for an immediate release of a large number of innocent people languishing in jails all over the country without any reason.
“I feel like there should be a thorough probe into those involved in these incidents. But also the innocent, thousands of PTI workers and supporters were arrested a lot of those who are innocent... it is also important that they are released as soon as possible,” he maintained. He said that the incidents of May 9 are not only condemnable but also a point to ponder on where we have reached.
Responding to a question, Asad clarified that he has not left the party but only resigned as the secretary general of the party. He emphasised that his decision was voluntary and not influenced by any “external pressure”.
He categorically said that the military does not comprise just a few generals whose names are heard on television, but thousands of soldiers who sacrifice their lives for the sake of the nation.
“My family has been affiliated with the army for the last three generations. From the 1965 war to the war on terror, members of my family have been participating in these wars over the years,” he added.
He said that an army is only powerful when the nation stands behind it but what was seen on May 9 is concerning.
“It gave a very wrong message… a transparent investigation should take place and those involved should be taken to task. But those who are innocent should be freed,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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