PTI relationship with Pak army deteriorates

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s relationship with the army has deteriorated, particularly in recent days.

Some of the top leaders of PTI, who are in rare contact with the army, received some angry calls after the party’s social media ran a negative campaign regarding the army’s helicopter crash in which six soldiers, including corps commander Quetta, were killed, The News International reported.

After the hatred tweets for the army were shared with PTI’s leader, the party’s official Twitter said, “These accounts have got nothing to do with PTI official team, we have zero tolerance about accounts that spew hatred. Zero tolerance for national tragedies is being used to create divisions. Such accounts will be blocked by PTI officials.”

Yet some of those appear to be the PTI followers continuing their anti-army tweets. While there was no role of the party leadership seen in this dirty campaign it is pointed out that such hatred has been infused by the PTI leadership to its followers that they have lost balance and stopped thinking rationally.

It is also said that there has also been no condemnation of such social media campaigns from the PTI leadership, most of which is really active on Twitter and other social media platforms, according to The News International.

The PTI followers’ campaign against the army had really hurt the defence officers and their family members and for the same reason, President Arif Alvi was politely advised not to attend the funeral of the soldiers in Rawalpindi the day before yesterday.

However, it was good on part of the PTI Chairman Imran Khan to visit the family of Shaheed Lt Gen Sarfaraz Ali on Friday and offer condolences. Imran Khan is hardly seen attending funerals or visiting bereaved families for condolences even over the death of his closest friends.

On Friday, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sindh Minister Saeed Ghani and PMLN Punjab leader Malik Ahmad Khan held their press conferences in Karachi and Lahore respectively. Both asked Imran Khan if he had the courage, to name the neutral, reported The News International.

While the relationship between the PTI and the establishment was already going from bad to worst, Shireen Mazari tweeted about the recent US drone attack in Afghanistan as: “Puzzling question: a US drone flew into Afghanistan from the direction of Gulf region- assuming Pakistan hasn’t given bases yet (unless this govt has done so covertly)- but flew over which country’s airspace? Iran does not give any airspace rights to US mly so was Pak airspace used?” She added, “Is that why PM IK had to be removed after his Absutely Not to US demand? I always date US regime change conspiracy from June 2021. Enough evidence.”

Her June 2021 reference was clear who she was targeting in the tweet. (ANI)