Great minds think alike

ISLAMABAD: Two great minds of their own field--Tahirul Qadri, religious scholar and head of the Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT), and renowned legal expert and leader of the Opposition in Senate Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan--even think the same as both the leaders alleged that the government is behind the military takeover banners campaign to malign the Pakistan Army and divert masses attention from PanamaLeaks.

Both the great leaders from different political parties and having different political approaches gave the same statements on the same day about the controversial military takeover banners.

At a time when the opposition parties, putting constant pressure on the ruling party over Panama Papers Leaks, the controversial banners displayed in various cities of the country demanding of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif for imposing Martial Law, gave more space to the rumor mills.

Contrary to this, two leaders from opposition parties, Aitzaz Ahsan and Tahirul Qadri see this campaign through different angle and termed it a possible conspiracy of the PML-N to malign army chief and divert masses attention from the PanamaLeaks.

Opposition Leader in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan, in his talk with media persons on Tuesday, said the purpose of hanging such posters was to pressurise the opposition to stop it from demanding accountability by creating an atmosphere where democracy could look fragile. He said neither the government was in danger nor there were any chances of a military coup.

The government was trying to defame the opposition and discredit them for allegedly being anti-democracy, he said and added, “This is a political game being played by the government. They want the people to believe we are endangering the democracy.”

On the other hand, PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said that the display of posters inscribed with the messages of requesting Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif to take over may be the PML-N-led government’s move to defame him since he had refused to accept extension offer.

“I think the PML-N government may be behind the move of displaying posters. And I am saying this on the basis of the behaviour of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif whenever something happens against their desire,” Mr Qadri alleged at a press conference here on Tuesday. He said the core objective behind the move was to malign Gen Raheel Sharif and the army.