PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja, President Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub address a joint press conference on January 7, 2025.
ISLAMABAD:
Breaking their silence with a tone carefully guarded between caution and frankness, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Saturday pushed back on the military spokesperson’s censure, saying that while the party would not respond in kind, it sought to clarify that the imprisoned Imran Khan was not a “security threat” and expressed deep disappointment over the “inappropriate remarks”.
The PTI leaders, while adopting a controlled and conciliatory tone, also said that after standing firmly with the armed forces during the Mar War, they expected a turn towards calm. However, the party now fears tensions could escalate further.
They stressed that their demands had been reduced to the bare minimum, as where they once sought the release of the imprisoned party leader, they were now simply pleading to be granted a meeting with him, as they anticipated that ‘less-Imran’ would be akin to ‘less-everyone’.
While emphasizing that their response was not tit-for-tat but a call to steady the ship before things spiral out of control, the party presented its defense as a call to pull the country’s already nervous political landscape from the brink. He argued that the combination of denial of access to Imran and aggressive rhetoric had pushed the political system towards “dangerous volatility”, stressing that both sides needed to concede space, put aside their egos and avoid descending into confrontation.
Addressing a press conference at the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad, lawyer Gohar Ali, PTI president, said the party was not seeking “to retaliate with stones rather than bricks”, but stressed that it had become necessary to speak clearly because “accusations are being thrown at us” and the public “must know what happened to us”.
Warning that prolonging the current confrontational posture risked “not one minus one, but one minus everyone,” he said the country deserved a chance to move toward stability.
He recalled that Imran had “always said that the country is ours and the army is ours” and that the PTI had supported the army in times of war. “After all that, we thought things might get better,” he said. “But yesterday’s press conference caused deep disappointment. The words used were inappropriate.”
He warned that “some people seem to want to provoke conflict” and insisted that “egos will have to be put aside and space will have to be given to each other.”
“Meetings with Imran Khan are being denied and cases are not being heard. Until recently, our talk was to release Imran Khan. Now we are simply saying: allow a meeting.”
“If things continue like this, democracy will be destroyed,” fears the PTI president.
He said the PTI remained the country’s largest political force, led by a man with the support of “70 percent of the nation.” However, he lamented how the party had been reduced from 180 to 76 seats, its reserved seats taken and its women and children targeted. However, he said the PTI had endured “for the sake of democracy and the country”.
“Another dark moment”
Salman Akram Raja, speaking alongside Gohar, said Pakistan’s turbulent history was filled with dark moments when Pakistan was plunged into coercion, recalling that a long-standing dictum dominated political rhetoric that the country needed “coercion to progress”.
“We know what followed such thinking,” he said. “Karachi saw bodies in gunny bags. This region has blood, gunpowder, weapons…but no social assistance.”
He argued that repeated claims that “democracy does not suit Pakistan” had only weakened the country each time. “Where is Pakistan today?”
The party general secretary also recalled the establishment’s maneuvers against former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in the 1990s. “Institutions have time and again decided that any popular leader of the people is a threat to national security and there is a need to remove him from the scene, but that has not happened. You cannot remove him from the hearts of the people by your decisions. The nation has always been aware of this and there is a reason why it supports Imran Khan. We are not crazy, we know who has always been in control of this country.”
“Don’t drive away the people of Pakistan, they stand with Imran Khan and PTI. Imran Khan is not a threat to national security. He has kept the people united.”
“For God’s sake, don’t do this. You won’t be able to eliminate Imran Khan, but God forbid it will be very difficult to keep the interests of this country united. If you attack KP and overthrow its elected government to install an unelected system, then you yourselves will be responsible for the conditions that result.”
The party general secretary also appeared to criticize PTI’s own supporters on social media for demanding retaliation. “We are sitting because the country is dear to us and we do not want discord in the country,” he said.
Additionally, he accused the state of launching an unprecedented attack on the Constitution and the rule of law with the 26th and 27th Amendments. “Pakistan is the only country where there is a Constitution, but the principles accepted by the world are ignored here. How can an officer replace an independent judiciary?” he asked.
He lamented that the SC had earlier given the PTI its reserved seats, only to later undermine it “as if it were a district court”.
“Was Pakistan created for this? Quaid-e-Azam repeatedly told the military rulers that they would not participate in politics.”
“Pakistan belongs to its people”
The lawyer said Pakistanis were “aware of this and always will be,” adding that the country had long been captive to narrow interests. “What’s the point of development if your son can’t find a job?” he asked. “We need a people-centered policy.”
He argued that Pakistan could not prosper if it remained cut off from regional trade. “Countries trade with their neighbors. We have problems with Afghanistan, trade with Iran is at a standstill and India is a completely different story.”
Raja further emphasized that the voices of the people must resonate in Parliament. “As long as the public does not resonate in the assembly, its well-being is impossible.” He said the PTI was not sitting in front of the press “to respond point by point” to the army briefing.
“If you attack our mandate and overthrow governments, then only you will be responsible,” he warned. “If something you heard bothers you, we are willing to talk about it.” The PTI remained “the largest social force in the country” and no challenge could be met without it. “Institutions and citizens must move forward together. We do not want chaos.”
“Imran gave dignity to this country”
Former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser said he had been with Imran Khan for 30 years and had seen him in “many difficult circumstances”. He recalled the party collecting donations for Shaukat Khanum Hospital and said he supported Imran because “he had a vision”.
“Imran Khan is a star,” Qaiser said. “He gave this country respect and identity.” He condemned any suggestion that Imran Khan could be erased or labeled a security risk. “He fights for the true freedom of the people.”
Qaiser said anger and grief ran deep in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “The entire province feels insulted,” he said, calling on the authorities to withdraw “these comments.”
He said he was a teacher and many of his students served in the armed forces. “We want a strong army. Soldiers and police officers are being martyred every day. Everyone knows the situation in India and Afghanistan. Do you want to turn on a political turbine? This is leading the country towards anarchy.”
Qaiser highlighted the party’s demand for democracy. “We want democracy; our top leaders are in Kot Lakhpat jail. FIRs have been filed against 64,000 of our citizens; 34,000 have been arrested. Yet we say: this country is ours.”
