PTI will oppose martial law: Imran

Dispelling the impression of having the backing of military establishment, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday said his party would not tolerate any unconstitutional step, including martial law, and would always favour democracy to prevail in the country.
Addressing a news conference at the PTI secretariat, Imran, flanked by former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, said his party would strengthen democracy in true letter and spirit, adding that the military dictatorship caused huge losses to the country and another military coup would not be acceptable.
However, Imran seemed reluctant to comment on any of the prevailing issues, including “memogate”, which have created political crisis in the country. Asked about the calls for resignation of ISI chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha over the “memogate”, he said the matter was under trial and the court would decide its fate. “The judiciary is independent and knows better how to deal with such issues,” he said.
Regarding his meeting with the US Ambassador Cameron Munter, the PTI chief said he maintained the public stance on war against terror and on foreign policy during his meeting with the American envoy. “Foreign representatives might also have come to know about the acceptance of PTI in the country and that’s why they seem keen to know about my future strategy,” Khan observed.
To a question regarding possibility of his party’s alliance with the PML-N, he replied, “How can I make alliance with parties who have made their political parties family enterprises? Every one has made their political party a family party and despite great political achievements, Javed Hashmi and Aitzaz Ahsan cannot become their party heads,” he said. “But the PTI would make every decision on merit.”
Commenting on the government’s failure of not completing the investigation into Benazir Bhutto’s murder, he said the PPP came to power owing to the blessing of its slain leader Benazir, but the leadership failed to find out her killers.
Regarding his party’s rally on December 25 in Karachi, he said he would force the stakeholders to accept public demands through PTI’s tsunami. “PTI candidates will have to declare their assets to get tickets and popularisation of the candidates will also be considered in the process.”
During the press conference, former MPA Chaudhry Nazar Gondal, former High Court Bar president Sardar Waheed Khan, Malik Zahoor, former provincial minister Colonel (r) Malik Muhammad Anwar, former deputy attorney general Chaudhry Muhammad Tariq, Pir Abbas Mohiuddin of Makhand Sharrif and several other prominent members of the legal fraternity from Punjab announced to join the PTI.