Imran Khan hits back at PM Shehbaz over criticism

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has hit back at Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif for accusing him of ‘maligning and threatening’ the Pakistan Army, ARY News reported on Monday.

Sharing a screenshot of incumbent prime minister’s tweet, the PTI chief said if he can “dare” to ask PM Shehbaz if he, a citizen “who suffered two assassination attempts on his life in [the] last few months”, had the right to nominate those he thought “responsible” for the assassination attacks.

“Why was I denied my legal and constitutional right to register an FIR [first information report]? Imran Khan asked.

Imran further questioned if the premier’s tweets meant military officers “were above the law or that they cannot commit a crime”.

to register an FIR? Does SS tweet mean mly officers are above the law or that they cannot commit a crime? If we allege one of them has committed a crime, how is institution being maligned?
3. Who was so powerful as to sabotage Wazirabad JIT while PTI govt was in power in Punjab?

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 8, 2023

“If we allege one of them has committed a crime, how is [the] institution being maligned?” he added.

The PTI Chairman also questioned who was “powerful” enough to “sabotage” the joint investigation team (JIT) probing the Wazirabad incident while the PTI was still in “power in Punjab”.

He also mentioned the clashes at the Islamabad Judicial Complex (ICT) on March 18, where he had appeared before the court for a hearing of the Toshakhana case. At that time, Imran alleged that assassins had been placed outside the complex with plans to kill him.

Referring to the incident, he said: “Can Shehbaz Sharif answer why the ISI took over ICT Judicial Complex evening before my appearance there on March 18? Why were ISI personnel in CTD and lawyers camouflaged? What was the motive and what business did ISI have in the Complex?”

one powerful man & his accomplices all being above the law. Then it is time for us to officially declare that in Pakistan there is only law of the jungle where Might is Right.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 8, 2023

Imran Khan added when the PM did find the answers to these questions, they would all point to “one powerful man and his accomplices all being above the law”.

“It is time for us to officially declare that in Pakistan there is only the law of the jungle where might is right,” Imran added.

A day earlier, PM Shehbaz Sharif lambasted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for ‘maligning and threatening’ Pakistan Army.

In a tweet, the prime minister said Imran Khan’s act of ‘routinely maligning and threatening Pakistan Army and Intelligence Agency’ for the sake of petty political gains was highly condemnable.

“Imran’s leveling of allegations without any proof against Gen Faisal Naseer and officers of our Intelligence Agency cannot be allowed and will not be tolerated,” he noted.