ISLAMABAD: The PTI core committee has said the recent press conference by the director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) was “unconstitutional and illegal”.

In a rejoinder to the press conference in which Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif linked dialogue with PTI to a “public apology”, the PTI core committee said security agencies should end “the absurd tradition of interfering in politics”.

According to an official announcement by the PTI’s central media department, the party’s top leadership also “unanimously rebuffed” the ISPR DG’s demand for an apology.

The forum said a “propaganda” was underway against the PTI under the guise of a “false flag operation” on May 9, 2023.

Ayub decries action against peaceful protesters

The PTI also “condemned” the action by the government against what it called “nationwide peaceful protests” against the “May 9 false flag operation” on Thursday. It alleged state oppression and fascism was employed to “usurp people’s basic political right to protest”. The committee decried the ongoing “politics of revenge” and what it called “attempts to crush and dismantle” PTI under “the guise of the May 9 false flag operation” and said such actions should be stopped.

The committee members also condemned the alleged interference by ECP’s in the nominations of election tribunals judges by the Lahore High Court chief justice and termed it “criminal and totally unacceptable”.

Actions against peaceful protesters

Meanwhile, speaking at a news conference on Friday, PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan lambasted Punjab police action against “peaceful” PTI protesters on Thursday.

The “fascist and mandate-less governments in the Centre and Punjab” were standing on crutches and their days were numbered, Mr Khan told a presser. He said when intelligence agencies meddle in political and judicial affairs, it erodes rule of law.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2024