ISLAMABAD (MNN); Pakistan’s major political parties on Sunday voiced strong support for the armed forces while accusing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of running a coordinated campaign to undermine state institutions and promote what they described as an anti-Pakistan narrative.
Their response came a day after PTI heavily criticised the military’s media wing for its press briefing, in which the DG ISPR referred to imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan as a narcissist, mentally unstable, and a potential security threat due to his persistent anti-army rhetoric.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said Imran Khan’s statements represented a dangerous and irresponsible trend that could weaken national unity. He stated that no political leader had the right to use divisive politics for personal interests and asserted that maligning the armed forces only benefitted Pakistan’s enemies.
MQM-P convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui warned that foreign elements could be backing the PTI’s recent narrative. He said the party had abandoned the democratic path and adopted a style of politics that posed risks to national stability. He urged political parties to unite against any campaign aiming to destabilise the state.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said Imran Khan’s rhetoric was aligned with the objectives of hostile intelligence agencies. He emphasised that two provinces were already facing insurgencies and that such an environment required political leadership to stand firmly behind the security forces. He stressed that placing politics above the state was dangerous.
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi said Pakistan could have avoided the current political instability had effective action been taken earlier regarding the PTI’s alleged foreign funding case.
He accused Imran Khan’s family of making appearances on Afghan and Indian media to defame Pakistan and claimed that targeting national monuments and sensitive institutions only served the agenda of Pakistan’s adversaries.
In response, PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan said the remarks made by the DG ISPR were inappropriate for a senior military official and urged both sides to reduce tensions.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja rejected the assertion that Imran was a security threat, saying attempts to sideline him would harm national unity. He added that Imran Khan had always aligned himself with the national interest and promoted unity among diverse communities.
Political observers say these strong statements reflect deepening polarisation and rising tensions between PTI and state institutions, further intensifying the ongoing political standoff.
