PTI rejects negotiations because of “state efforts to crush” the party.
Stresses the importance of thinking about the implications of applying military law to civilians.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said on Wednesday that there is “no possibility of negotiations in the presence of internal conflict and state efforts to crush the country’s largest political party by force,” a day after the civil and military leadership of the country emphasized the need for a political dialogue over confrontation to resolve differences.
In response to Tuesday’s meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), the PTI said it appreciated the committee’s advice that the two sides negotiate in light of democratic norms rather than directly confront each other over their political disagreements.
The party also noted the importance of weighing the problem of enforcing military law against civilians within the bounds of the constitution.
The arrest of PTI leader Imran Khan on May 9 sparked widespread protests, which prompted the NSC meeting. The protesters destroyed military property and damaged the home of the Corps Commander in Lahore.
The perpetrators, planners, and executors of such acts will be tried under Pakistani laws, such as the Army Act and the Official Secret Act, as decided by a corps commanders conference headed by Army Chief Gen Asim Munir on Monday.
According to a statement released by the PMO after the NSC meeting, the participants in the NSC meeting agreed with the decision reached at the corps commanders conference.
The previous ruling party expressed deep worry in a statement released today about the prevalence of a “specific political narrative on the declaration issued” following the NSC meeting.
“In our view, the serious internal crises facing the country are caused by the ruling class’ serious deviation from the Constitution, social ethics, and values,” it continued.
It argued that putting the Constitution first and advocating for democratic values were the only ways to ensure national progress and stability.
The events of the past 13 months have shown that the ruling political and military elite’s interests are always the exact opposite. Human rights violations, suppression of the people’s voice through state compulsion, and the PTI’s marginalization in national politics were all cited as happening during these months by the PTI.
Further, “instead of responding positively to our efforts, the powerful political and military elite pushed the country and the nation into the mud of lawlessness and worst fascism,” the statement read.\
On May 23, the court will rule on PTI’s plea of guilty in the illegal funding case.
They said that after the party leader was arrested, anarchist groups joined the ranks of protesters, and that “as a result of the actions of these groups, there were certainly incidents that every citizen is saddened by.”
Suppressing elements of sedition and anarchy is an issue on which virtually everyone agrees. The party demanded the establishment of a “judicial commission with the authority to identify the planners of these incidents and the elements behind them.”
The PTI went on to say that it was “futile to expect from the ruling group who is trying to uphold the Constitution and the ruling group that is actually invading the respected Supreme Court,” in terms of the law and the Constitution.
The statement went on to say that PTI has been subjected to “illegal censorship” on national and social media, with the intention of spreading a specific narrative about the party.
This, the statement continued, was all part of the ruling group’s “London Plan” to “achieve shameful political results against the chairman and the PTI.” For this reason, the party is adamantly opposed to the mingling of partisan disputes with matters of state.
“Moves to Clear the Way for Common Interest”
The party also outlined measures the government may take to foster trust between the two sides.
The government should track out the people responsible for the May 9 protests and the deaths of civilians.
We need to form a commission of Supreme Court justices with the authority to deal with these anarchists.
Thousands of people whose cases rest on little more than suspicion should be set free.
Case filing against PTI should be tied to the findings of inquiries.
The government’s nationwide crackdown on the PTI must stop immediately.
The detained central PTI leaders, employees, and citizens must be released immediately.
Discontinue your deceptive and false attacks on PTI.
National media should not be restricted in their reporting and all restrictions on the press and social media should be lifted.
Censoring journalists who express an opinion or are critical of the government needs to end.
The government’s assault on the judicial system must cease.
According to the statement’s final analysis, the administration should move toward quick elections in light of the Supreme Court judgment. To quote PTI leader Imran Khan: “[The] PTI is ready to play its role without any fear or greed to get the country out of dire crisis.”
