Responding to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release regarding Imran Khan’s speech in Faisalabad, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari termed it “unnecessary”. She said the press release was “of concern because it seems to have misunderstood what Imran said despite clarifications”. The former human rights minister maintained that the PTI chief had not criticised the military or its leadership in his Faisalabad speech. PTI’s Asad Umar said the context of Imran’s statement had already been clarified. “There was never an intent to cause harm to the reputation of the institution or its senior leadership,” he said. He went on to say that the party and its chief had always “fully appreciated” the professionalism and sacrifices of army personnel. “The emphasis on upholding the principle of merit is consistent with the desire to protect the professionalism of the force which provides security to the nation,” he said. PTI Vice President Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said the ISPR would not have felt the need to issue the press release if it had listened to what he had said in Islamabad earlier in the day. In his press conference, Fawad had attempted to explain and defend Imran’s remarks. Criticising the coalition government and its leaders, he said Imran had meant that the decision to appoint the next COAS could not be left to the government since it lacked “political legitimacy”.
