On Friday, the military denied imposing martial law in the country following an almost four-day political turmoil that erupted due to the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, in which the army’s installations were also targeted.
In an interview with a private channel, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that General Asim Munir and the army’s leadership fully support democracy and will continue to do so. He emphasized that the imposition of martial law is not a consideration.
“The military’s top spokesperson stated that the army chief and the army’s senior leadership have full faith in democracy.”
The spokesperson dismissed the speculation that army officers had resigned due to the ongoing chaos in response to circulating reports.
Maj Gen Chaudhry affirmed that “despite all-out efforts of internal miscreants and external enemies, the army remains united under Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.”
The army’s spokesperson added, “Creating division within the army will remain a dream. No one has resigned or disobeyed any order.”
After Khan criticized the military and his supporters and attacked military targets by torching the residence of the corps commander in Lahore and attacking the entrance to the army’s headquarters in Rawalpindi, this statement was issued.
Following Khan’s arrest, violent protests occurred, resulting in nearly a dozen deaths and several injuries. Law enforcement agencies responded with a crackdown on PTI, arresting scores of workers and top leaders.
The ISPR stated that May 9, 2023, the day when chaos gripped the nation following Khan’s arrest and his supporters attacked army installations, would be recorded in history as a “dark chapter”.
In a statement, the ISPR referred to the PTI leaders as “hypocrites” for inciting their workers against the armed forces while praising the military to overshadow their criticism.
Currently, the unrest in the country has stopped as the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted blanket relief to Khan, barring authorities from arresting the PTI chief until Monday morning (May 15). The government said it could arrest him “if need be” after this time.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif criticized Khan’s recent comments against the army chief, stating that they reflected the PTI chairman’s “cheap mentality” towards the armed force
The premier issued a statement stating that “his statement proves that he is the mastermind of May 9 events”. It criticized Khan’s “baseless” allegations against a senior army official for plotting to assassinate him.
