The PTI emphatically deplored “ridiculous” remarks by the military spokesperson against ex-premier Imran Khan, saying he was “not a security threat”, and lamented the weakening of democracy in the country following the passage of recent constitutional amendments.

In a blistering press conference on Friday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry assailed Imran for creating and spreading an “anti-army” rhetoric, stating that such narratives were now out of the realm of politics and had become a “national security threat”.

Responding to the DG ISPR’s accusations in a press conference today at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said: “Do not drive away the people of Pakistan, they stand with Imran Khan and the PTI. Imran Khan is not a national security threat. He has kept the people united.”

Raja said there were many narratives in the country, including along ethnic and sectarian lines, yet Imran had rejected all of them to stand with the narrative of Pakistan, along with PTI’s supporters and voters.

“For God’s sake, don’t do this. You will not be able to minus Imran Khan, but God forbid if you do, it will be very difficult to keep this country’s interests united. If you attack KP and remove its elected government to install an unelected setup, then you yourselves will be responsible for the conditions that follow.”

Raja termed the DG ISPR’s press conference “unfortunate” and added that the party will not answer the accusation and charges levelled against the PTI founder.

“Today we are being told that the country’s most popular leader is a national security threat, which is ridiculous, but this has not been said for the first time.”

Referring to the establishment’s manoeuvring against former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in the 1990s, Raja said: “The institutions decided again and again that any popular leader of the people is a national security threat and it is necessary to remove them from the scene, but this did not happen. You cannot remove them from the hearts of the people through your decisions. The nation has always been aware and there is a reason it is standing behind Imran Khan. We are not mad, we know who has always been in control in this country.”

Raja elaborated that he wanted to set the context for everyone, noting that there have been countless times in the country’s history when it was pushed from democracy toward force and authoritarianism.

Referring to previous military dictatorships in the country, he said prosperity was always promised, and yet, they all ultimately failed.

The general secretary of the party said it was claimed multiple times during the past that democracy, law and the Constitution does not suit the country, and needs a stick, but the “ruler always left it weaker than before”.

Raja lamented that the party was frequently criticised as a ragtag group without understanding of affairs and what heights the country was being taken towards.

However, the PTI secretary general questioned whether the country needed to be forcibly developed through the use of power, noting that if this were the case, it would have already happened during previous periods of military rule.

Raja said there was a need for a “grand dialogue”, given the country’s current situation, and that the nation needed to be involved lest the past repeat itself.

“There will be no change, and we will go backwards.”

Referring to the constitutional amendments and the subjugation of the judiciary, he said the development was not even comparable to anything under previous eras of military rule.

Slamming censorship in the country, the senior PTI leader said that anyone speaking freely could be subject to the Peca law, inquiries, and more, referring to the trial proceedings of husband-and-wife lawyer duo Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha.

Raja said the PTI was ready to talk, but the people of KP and their chief minister should never be mocked or denigrated.

“Don’t put the future of the country or KP at stake in this battle of narratives. This is a very sensitive area, take the people along in the conditions that are there at the moment and the state of terrorism. The PTI is the biggest force in the country that can take it towards betterment.”

The PTI secretary general also seemingly criticised the party’s social media wing and supporters, who he said called the party out to respond or answer why it was not taking action. “We are sitting because the country is dear to us and we don’t want discord in the country,” Raja added.

He said the party and Imran would take every step required for the benefit of the country.

“It is very easy to respond to the brick with a stone but we will not do it because the country’s benefit is not in this.”

Former National Assembly speaker and PTI MNA Asad Qaiser also voiced a complaint with the DG ISPR’s remarks.

“There is great anger and heightened emotions in our province. Your words should have been appropriate. We think such words should be desisted from and will also demand that they are retracted because a whole society and province think it has been disrespected.”

Barrister Gohar calls for easing of ‘tone’

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali criticised the DG ISPR’s remarks, calling them “inappropriate and wrong” and saying it was “unfortunate for democracy” that a senior officer would use such language against a major political party, its leadership, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister.

Gohar said that “there is an enemy of ours” who would be pleased by press conferences against each other, adding that this was why he had earlier said today’s would not be a confrontational press conference.

PTI Chairman said the party wanted to clarify that “some people are trying to incite fighting between the workers of a major party and members of a major institution”.

Gohar said such incidents should never occur, warning that “the beginning of any great destruction is always due to a few inappropriate words”. He added that ego must be set aside, space given to one another, and efforts made to move in a positive direction.

The PTI leader said there was still time for “tone to be eased” and for steps to improve the current situation. He called for Tuesday’s meeting with Imran to be allowed without restriction and urged that no politics be made over the ex-premier’s meetings with his sisters.

He maintained that the country deserved to prosper and grow, but if the current tense atmosphere and attitude continued, “then it won’t be minus-one, but minus-everyone, which should not happen”.

At the start of the press conference, Gohar welcomed everyone to what he said would be an “unusual” press briefing in response to the military spokesperson’s remarks against the PTI founder, saying it would have a “different tone”.

“We are not going to do a confrontational press conference or to respond to a brick with a stone, but it is very important to tell some facts to the people as charges have been levelled at us.”

He claimed that the PTI was the country’s largest political party and its leader was Imran, with the support of 70 per cent of the nation.

“It is necessary to tell the people what has happened to us in the recent past. From 180 seats, we were reduced to 91 seats, and now we are left with 76. Reserved seats were taken and there was violence against women and children. The injustices against us are a tale of their own.”

Barrister Gohar said the party had continued to endure in order to uphold democracy, adding that the PTI’s stance was rooted in democracy, peace and the rule of law, and that Imran Khan had always maintained that both Pakistan and its army belong to the people.

The PTI chairman said that despite going through a rough patch during the last year, it stood with the nation and the military and lauded their role.

The PTI chairman added that despite everything that happened with the passage of the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments, the party had hoped the situation might improve, but yesterday’s press conference was “deeply disappointing”.

Referring to Imran’s pending cases and delayed proceedings, he said the party began with a position of calling for his release and was now reduced to asking for meetings to be permitted with the PTI founder.

“All that we endured was for the sake of democracy and the country, but we say, if such conditions continue and such treatment with each other continues, then democracy will be the one to face the biggest loss.”