Senior PTI leader and former planning minister Asad Umar has tried to give a new spin through obscure utterance to the ISPR press release regarding baseless accusations against the army, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
In a tweet posted on Saturday, Asad Umar asked ISPR if no member of the institution does anything wrong then why are court-martials are carried out.
He further said even officers of general rank have been court-martialled in the past. “If they do carry out acts which can be subject to court-martial why cannot they be criticized as individuals?” the PTI leader asked.
Much to the chagrin of everyone, the answer to the Asad Umar’s broadside was already mentioned in the ISPR’s press release.
The ISPR statement did not mention that no member of the institution does anything wrong. It clearly stated that there was a highly effective mechanism of internal accountability already available within the institution and officers, and personnel of the Pakistani Army work as an institution and they cannot be separated from each other.
The ISPR further made it clear that Imran Khan was only hurling accusations. He should give proof. One cannot ponder over the Pakistan Army the same way as the demands for transfers go in the police force.
The constitution, however, provides protection to institutions and their leadership and they cannot be made target of any blame-game.
No party or individual is allowed to use the institution as a punching bag to promote its or his politics.
Asad Umar said ISPR statement levelled groundless charges against Imran Khan. In reality, the ISPR outrightly rejected the PTI chief’s allegations.
"The baseless allegations hurled at the institution/officials today are highly regrettable and strongly condemned. No one will be allowed to defame the institution or its soldiers with impunity," the ISPR statement added.
The ISPR called on the government to investigate the matter and initiate legal action against those "responsible for defamation and false accusations against the institution and its officials without any evidence whatsoever".
Reporter Ahmad Mansoor