The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday slammed the press conference of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Maj. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry as a “pack of lies” and reiterated its demand for a judicial commission to probe the May 9 riots to bring its “real” perpetrators to light.
In a rebuttal press conference, PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan—flanked by lawyers Intezar Hussain Panjutha and Naeem Haider Panjutha—claimed the military spokesman’s press conference from earlier in the day was “full of contradictions and frustration.” Claiming the comments of the DG ISPR would harm ties between the public and the state, they questioned why he had addressed a press conference targeting the country’s “largest” political party.
“The DG ISPR claims there is no threat to democracy; but he should bear in mind that there is no democracy at all in the country as there is a personal dictatorship in the country,” alleged Hasan, lamenting an “increase” in the intensity of rhetoric targeting his party from state functionaries.
Noting the ISPR official had expressed willingness for a judicial commission to probe the May 9 riots, he said the party was willing to accept the condition of it also examining the 2014 dharna and subsequent PTI protests in Islamabad—but only if it also examined the cipher “controversy,” the ouster of Imran Khan, and the assassination attempts on his life. Such a commission, maintained Hasan, should not be subservient to the military, should include judges free of interference, and apprise the nation of the truth of the May 9 riots.
Both the PTI and the military should present their evidence before the commission, said Hasan, and demanded the release of CCTV footage, which he claimed had “disappeared” to protect those “actually responsible” for the rioting.
Earlier, speaking with media after meeting Khan at Adiala Jail, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan also reiterated a demand to probe the May 9 riots through a judicial commission. Confirming the PTI would stage demonstrations nationwide to mark the first anniversary of the May 9 riots, he said his discussions with the party founder had also included the matter of the Supreme Court suspending a Peshawar High Court (PHC) ruling denying the Sunni Ittehad Council a share in reserved seats.
Gohar also said U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome had requested a meeting with the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, who was part of the PTI, adding the envoy was briefed on the alleged human rights violations in the country. To questions on the perceived hypocrisy of the PTI meeting the envoy of the country it accuses of orchestrating the vote of no-confidence against Khan, he said that was a “separate” matter.