Nobody in his right mind likes the permeating ambience of confrontation between the Army and PTI which unfortunately is a sequel to false and misleading narrative propagated by the latter and its founding chairman against the former particularly its leadership as well as unrelenting support and sympathy for TTP in complete disregard to security imperatives of the state. What DG ISPR said in his presser about the founding chairman of PTI, his disposition towards the Army, state institutions and the methodology to build anti-state narrative can hardly be contested.
The truth of the matter is that PTI since exit of Imran Khan from power through constitutional process on 10th April 2022 has never behaved like a political party and whatever it has done constitutes blatant violation of constitution and laws of the land.
Perhaps a reference to Articles of constitutions prohibiting the PTI like conduct is imperative to put the things in proper perspective. Article 5(1-2) of the constitution says: Loyalty to the state is the basic duty of every citizen. Obedience to the constitution and law is the inviolable obligation of every citizen wherever he may be and of every other person for the time being within Pakistan. It means that all organizations and entities including political parties have to carry out their functions and activities strictly in accordance the constitution and law. Any action inconsistent with the constitution and law descends into anti-state activity.
Article 19 of the constitution concerning freedom of speech says” Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court or incitement to an offence.” The fact is that nowhere in the world there is unbridled freedom of speech or freedom of press. The states have to make it sure that all entities operating within its boundaries remain within the ambit of constitution and the laws enacted by the parliament.
The foregoing Article of the constitution while allowing freedom of speech and freedom of press bars actions against the security and integrity of the country. Expects individuals and parties not to disturb public order and stay within limits of decency and morality. Seeing through the prism of these constitutional requirements no anodyne analyst of intellectual can honestly take an issue with contents of the presser by DG ISPR.
PTI has actually unfurled systematic propaganda warfare against the Army. It is using twitter, face book and private accounts to amplify the pressers by DG ISPR, a classis tactic to invent a claim and attach it to an institution to fuel public outrage. In this regard there is a deluge of PTI aligned pages, PTI controlled hash-tags and own fan-echo systems which are not the public reactions as being claimed. It is PTI’s internal troll farm amplifying its own messages. It is a sinister way of portraying the false narrative as public reaction.
It is an undeniable fact that the PTI has persistently tried to target the Army and its leadership, attacked Army installations and monuments of the martyrs to orchestrate a coup within the Army, has sought foreign interference, written to IMF not to extend fund facility to Pakistan, its founder has written articles in the foreign media to denigrate and malign the Army, his sisters in their interviews with the India media have gone two steps ahead of him in grilling the Army and portraying it in the most dismal colours and above all its government in KPK has been vociferous in opposing the intelligence based operations against the terrorists who pose an existentialist threat to the country. The foregoing actions of the party confirm anti-state posture of the party and its founder being a security risk for the country.
DG ISPR while pointing out the anti-state activities of the party and the indiscretions committed by the founding chairman actually acted in consonance with the mandate of the Army under Rules of Business to clarify misinformation, respond to attacks on national institutions and inform the public about security issues and the threats faced by the country. This is not politics as alleged by the detractors of the Army. Indulging in politics is it is not its mandate.
However it is indeed regrettable that the party instead of mending its ways has given a very nasty reaction. In the public rally at Peshawar the PTI leaders used foul language against the government ministers and also threatened revenge claiming that they would not allow intelligence based operations in the KPK. In this regard they used the Pushtun card when the CM said that in these operations only the Pushtuns were being killed.
Not only that the party and its social media stalwarts have upped the ante against the Army. A narrative is being put around that PTI is being suppressed in violation of Article 17 of the constitution. The public is being misled by not telling them that though this article grants the citizens the right to form political parties it also puts the parties under the obligation to operate in conformity with the constitution and limits of decency and morality like Article 5 and 19. The same article also grants to the federal government the power to declare the activities of a party against the constitution and refer the matter to the constitutional court. Attacking the Army, spreading false narratives, and inciting hostility do not have the protection of Article 17.
PTI has actually unfurled systematic propaganda warfare against the Army. It is using twitter, face book and private accounts to amplify the pressers by DG ISPR, a classis tactic to invent a claim and attach it to an institution to fuel public outrage. In this regard there is a deluge of PTI aligned pages, PTI controlled hash-tags and own fan-echo systems which are not the public reactions as being claimed. It is PTI’s internal troll farm amplifying its own messages. It is a sinister way of portraying the false narrative as public reaction.
Political analysts, majority of the public as well as many leaders within PTI feel that the party was treading a dangerous course and needed an immediate rethink to remain relevant to the future political landscape of the country. Confrontation with state institutions and anti-state posturing is neither in the interest of the party nor the state.
