Imran Khan’s statement on COAS appointment; IHC CJ expresses displeasure, declares statement irresponsible

Imran Khan’s statement on the COAS appointment at the Faisalabad is being condemned on the National lever.

However, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared Imran Khan’s statement at the Faisalabad rally irresponsible.

As the IHC on Monday disposed of a petition challenging the Pakis­tan Electronic Media Regu­latory Authority’s (Pemra) orders to ban the live telecast of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s speeches, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah raised concerns over the former prime minister’s statements related to the COAS appointment passed at a rally in Faisalabad yesterday.

• In his speech at a jalsa in Faisalabad on Sunday, the PTI chairman said the coalition government is stalling the elections as they wanted to “appoint an army chief of their own choice.”
• “They want to bring their own army chief…they are afraid that if a strong and patriotic army chief is appointed then he would ask them about the looted wealth,” former PM Imran Khan said referring to Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari.
  

“Was the statement given at a rally constitutional and right,” Justice Minallah asked as the court took up PTI’s petition on Monday.

The PEMRA counsel told the court that the purpose of issuing the show-cause notice was only to delay the speech.

IHC CJ Athar Minullah asked Imran Khan’s counsel. “Did you hear Imran Khan’s statement yesterday? Is political leadership like this? What has been said can be justified?”

The chief justice remarked that if someone does illegal work and then everyone criticizes them.

“Take responsibility for what you want to do. Keep saying what you want and the regulator should not even regulate. Do not expect relief from.”

At one point during the hearing, referring to Imran’s statements at the Faisalabad rally, the IHC CJ asked: “How can you say in public whether an army chief is a patriot or not?”

“The armed forces personnel were getting martyred “and you [Imran] are bringing their morale down”, IHC CJ said.

He also asked the PTI counsel as to why [his party] was harming constitutional institutions.

“You will only invite difficulties as a result of your statements,” IHC CJ said.

IHC disposed of Imran Khan’s plea against the PEMRA order and ordered the PEMRA to regulate speeches and statements under the Supreme Court’s decision.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned the statement of Chairman PTI Imran Khan.

PM Shehbaz, in a statement on Twitter, lashed out at Imran Khan for maligning state institutions and said that the PTI chairman’s “despicable utterances” were hitting new levels every day.

“He is now indulging in direct mud-slinging and poisonous allegations against [the] armed forces and its leadership,” the prime minister added.

On the other hand,  the ruling coalition, in a joint statement, condemned Khan’s public meeting for spreading hatred against the Pakistan Army and its leadership and making “sensitive professional matters” controversial.

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