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PTI responds to ISPR, rejects equating criticism of individuals with criticism of institution

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has responded to yesterday’s statement released by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) in which it demanded of the federal government to investigate and take action (against PTI) for defaming the institution. Asad Umar said any attempt to equate criticism of individuals with criticism of the institution is rejected.

The ISPR, it may be recalled, had issued a press release yesterday, saying “allegations by PTI chairman against the institution and particularly a senior army officer are absolutely unacceptable and uncalled for.”

Also read: Imran’s allegations against institution, senior officer are baseless, unacceptable: ISPR

Reacting to ISPR’s press release, PTI’s General Secretary Asad Umar took to Twitter, saying the ISPR statement of yesterday made unfounded allegations against Imran Khan.

He said Imran Khan never spoke against the institution, and infact had always spoken about the need to strengthen the institution. “Criticism of individuals should NOT be called criticism of institution,” said Asad Umar.

The ISPR statement of yesterday has made unfounded allegations against Imran Khan. He has never spoken against the institution. Infact has always spoken about the need to strengthen the institution. Criticism of individuals should NOT be called criticism of institution

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) November 5, 2022

Asad Umar went on to ask “if no member of the institution does anything wrong, why are court martials carried out. Even general officers have been court martialed in the past. If they do carry out acts which can be subject to court martial why cannot they be criticized as individuals?”

Also read: Pakistan’s military is afraid of Imran Khan: Foreign Policy

He said any attempt to equate criticism of individuals with criticism of the institution was rejected. “The institution deserves love and respect based on the sacrifices made by its members to protect the nation. Each and every individual is not necessarily worthy of that love and respect,” he said, adding that if ISPR wanted to hear what disrespect for martyrs and the institution sound like, all they had to do is listen to the famous NA speech of the current defense minister where he claimed the institution had ripped off the flesh of the nation from its bones!!!