Some elements fomenting differences but PTI wants to lessen bitterness with army, judiciary: Fawad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry has said the PTI wants to lessen bitterness with the judiciary and the military, but some elements are exacerbating the differences.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, he said due to negative role of such people, there seems deterioration in relations with the judiciary and the armed forces. Fawad Chaudhry said the country leadership needed to play role to stop violation of human rights. The way the law was violated in last seven to eight months was deplorable and must come to an end, he added. He expressed concerns over lodging of cases against PTI leader Shahbaz Gill after registration of FIRs against Senator Azam Swati, who was behind bars in a case of controversial tweets.

The PTI leader said someone or maybe the federal government was trying to worsen situation despite attempts of his party to mend the situation. He said that the PTI leaders were facing multiple cases and there were reports of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) mulling to start proceedings against Imran Khan for his removal as the party chief.

The political scene in the country is incomplete without Imran Khan, Fawad said claiming that given the situation in the country, the party believed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman might shift abroad.

Fawad said although the situation was worsening, the PTI wanted to move toward general elections and stressed that the government should not resort to any unconstitutional move when it comes to formation of an interim government.

The PTI leader said when the party’s lawmakers are mulling the strategy amid the no-confidence motion, a majority of them were of the opinion that they should not hand in their resignations.

However, once Imran Khan and the party decided everyone saw that a historic 127 resignations were presented in the National Assembly and were accepted, Fawad said. The former federal minister also said that there might be a difference of opinion between the lawmakers in the two provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, but the final call would be Khan’s. “In this regard, we have kicked off meetings. We have summoned Lahore’s MNAs and MPAs to hear them out. “Tomorrow [Tuesday], Khan has called a meeting of the party’s senior leaders to mull the strategy relating to politics and assemblies’ dissolution,” he added.