ISPR made unfounded allegations against Imran: Asad Umar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Secretary General Asad Umar Saturday said the ISPR statement, issued on Friday, made unfounded allegations against Imran Khan and said criticism of individuals should not be called criticism of institution.

He took to his Twitter account to write, “The ISPR statement of yesterday has made unfounded allegations against Imran Khan. He has never spoken against the institution.

“In fact, he has always spoken about the need to strengthen the institution. Criticism of individuals should NOT be called criticism of the institution.

“If the ISPR wants to hear what disrespect for martyrs and the institution sound like, all they have to do is listen to the famous NA speech of the current defence minister.” he said.

“Question for ISPR: If no member of the institution does anything wrong, why are court-martials carried out? Even general officers have been court-martialled in the past. If they do carry out acts which can be subject to court-martial, why cannot they be criticised as individuals,” he wondered.

He also made it clear that any attempt to equate criticism of individuals with criticism of the institution is rejected. The institution deserves love and respect based on the sacrifices made by its members to protect the nation. Each and every individual is not necessarily worthy of that love and respect.

Meanwhile, PTI Senior Vice-President Dr Shireen Mazari tweeted, “The ISPR statement yesterday targeting Imran Khan (IK) for naming a general as one of the people involved in assassination plot against him was uncalled for & frankly political. Let’s be clear: the army is an institution not defined by any one individual. It is an institution that is far greater than the sum of its parts & one which neither Khan nor others in PTI have criticised.

“We salute our martyrs who defend our land. But we have criticised individuals because all institutions suffer when these people conduct actions against/ beyond the law of the land,” she wrote on her account.

Dr Mazari wrote, “If the ISPR found IK’s & some of our remarks ‘unacceptable’ & ‘uncalled-for’ & have the safety of the uniform behind them to give these accusatory remarks, then they should also realise our sentiments when civilians are picked up & tortured by one of their organisations often because they criticise one individual.

“We don’t have the protection to speak against such violence inflicted on us even when an ex-PM and leader of the largest federal political party is victim of an assassination plot. Serious charges must be investigated before being termed ‘baseless’, so an FIR must be registered and investigation carried out through credible process.

“I am sure army has its own robust accountability system, but no individual or organisation can be placed beyond law of the land. Civilians are often tried under military act so why should anyone be exempt from the law of the land”.

The PTI leader said, “Also IK allegation is not ‘frivolous’ - it is about a plot to assassinate an ex PM & leader of the largest federal political party. For the state, safety & life of any citizen should be far more imp[ortant] than the ‘prestige’ or ‘honour’ of any org[anisation]. How can any state organisation especially an honourable one like the Army ‘safeguard’ its individuals “no matter what”, when these individuals have broken law of the land? And there have been military personnel who have broken the law, been guilty of custodial torture as well espionage.