The Pakistan army has confirmed that it will not impose martial law, despite the unrest caused by PTI workers. Director general major general Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, a top army official, said that the Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, and the rest of the army’s leadership, strongly support democracy. The military has no plans to impose martial law, and believes in supporting the democratic process. Chaudhry added that the army is united under Munir’s leadership, despite efforts to disrupt peace by “internal miscreants and external enemies”. No army officers have resigned during the recent chaos.
The unrest was caused by PTI workers’ reaction to remarks made by their head, former prime minister Imran Khan. PTI workers set fire to the residence of the corps commander in Lahore and attacked the army’s headquarters in Rawalpindi. More than a dozen people were killed and several others injured as PTI cadres clashed with Pakistani army and police in all major cities of Pakistan. Law enforcement agencies retaliated with over a thousand arrests and detention of major party leaders.
The army accused PTI of doing what the ‘eternal enemy’ could not do in 75 years, an indirect reference to India. The Inter Services Public Relations Pakistan (ISPR) said PTI leaders are hypocrites for inciting their cadres against the Pakistan military but at the same time praising the institution to avoid criticism.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted complete relief to Khan and prohibited the authorities from detaining the PTI leader until Monday morning (May 15). The government has stated that it may apprehend him “if necessary” after that. Imran Khan previously accused the army of facilitating his assassination attempt in November.
