Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of openly violating court orders and the conditions imposed on its long march, saying that armed supporters, helicopters and government resources were being used during the political activity.
In a post on X, Asif criticised PTI leadership, saying workers were on the streets while the party’s “brave leaders” were hiding in bomb-proof and bullet-proof government vehicles.
“Workers are on the streets carrying weapons, while brave leaders are hiding like rats in bomb-proof and bullet-proof government vehicles,” Asif wrote.
The defence minister said that the long march involved armed groups and the use of helicopters and state resources, which he described as a clear violation of court orders and the conditions attached to the political activity.
Asif said that if political leaders were genuinely courageous and did not benefit from questionable sources of wealth, they would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their workers instead of remaining protected inside secure vehicles.
He also questioned whether any agreements reached through negotiations could be trusted if the PTI was unwilling to respect court orders and agreed conditions.
Referring to the National Action Plan (NAP), the defence minister said that the plan had the support and respect of all sides except PTI. He also criticised the party over its response to terrorism and security incidents.
Asif said that whether drone attacks were carried out from Afghanistan or terrorist attacks occurred inside Pakistan, there had been neither resistance nor condemnation from PTI. He further noted that soldiers, paramilitary personnel and police officers had continued to lose their lives in the fight against terrorism.
In a pointed reference to PTI’s political rhetoric, Asif said the party had previously claimed that the “attack would be on Somnath”, adding that Islamabad was not Ghazni and challenging PTI leaders to come out of what he described as their political “Ghazni”.