Javed Hashmi tells army to stay out of politics

MULTAN: Veteran politician Makhdoom Javed Hashmi advised Pakistan Army’s public relations arm to “avoid involving itself in civil affairs”.

“Institutions should not be turned into political parties,” Hashmi said while talking to senior journalists at his residence.

Bitterly criticising the Bajwa Doctrine, the seasoned politician from southern Punjab said it was not the army chief’s business to give doctrines.

“Doctrines are given by philosophers,” he said, and posed a question, “Where on earth this doctrine of army has come from?”

“Protocol demands that the army chief should not speak on the issue of postponement of the general elections,” he added.

Hashmi, while praising the army, said, “Pakistan Army is one of the most organised and mighty institutions in the country and it can save the country from any ordeal.”

He said that the army was the savoir of the country but it should not indulge in politics.

“I ask the army to go to their barracks and safeguard the country’s borders,” he said.

Hashmi also claimed that some powers were trying manipulation to delay the general elections.

“But they have to retreat under public pressure,” he said, adding that the general elections would be held on time.

He, however, cast doubt over the fairness of the general elections, citing alleged rigging and manipulation in the Senate election, terming them as a “trailer of the main movie”.

He said that tactics applied in the Senate election would be repeated during the formation of the next government.

“The next government will be formed under the same pattern applied in the recently held Senate elections.”

Hashmi also ruled out the imposition of judicial or military martial law in the country, saying that the international situation was “not supportive of any kind of martial law”.

“There is no room for imposition of judicial or any kind of martial law” he said.

He also deplored the political situation in Balochistan, saying, “It is very pathetic to see the biggest province always deprived of democracy.”

He said that the chief justice had made his meeting with the prime minister complicated.

“The chief justice should get his institution respected through his conversation,” he asserted.

He said that whoever made the claims to end load shedding must answer the people now.