May 9 mayhem perpetrators accountability to reach logical conclusion: Kh Asif

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif Thursday said the accountability of the perpetrators of May 9th mayhem would reach to its logical conclusion as it was a matter of sanctity of the martyrs’ and 240 million Pakistanis’ pride in their armed forces.

Addressing a press conference, the minister termed the attacks on military installations as tantamount to country's enmity. He said the armed forces and civil law enforcement agencies are fighting the war for the country’s survival and rendering sacrifices every day during the ongoing war on terror.

"The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) deliberately damaged the prestige of the state institution under its inimical motive," he alleged. He accused the PTI for making the army chief’s appointment controversial whereas the appointment was the only prerogative of the prime minister.

“I have been four times part of the process as the defence minister which was never influenced by any entity as it was the then PML-N government’s vision to appoint the most decorated soldier as the army chief,” he said.

He said that the PTI former chairman orchestrated a new narrative of 'absolutely not, and no to slavery', but his party leaders were meeting with the US ambassador and hiring lobbyists to beseech them for relief.

The minister also lambasted the PTI members of the Parliament for obstructing proceedings of the House under their political motives to benefit their detained party founder. He accused the PTI for hatching a conspiracy against the state institutions in the past years and termed it as a planned activity and not an abrupt or new move.

“The PTI is a political force in the Parliament and they claim that forced statements were made by deflected PTI leaders whereas the latter categorically stated Imran Khan was not listening to them. Media, commentators and analysts are also claiming that forcefully party loyalties were shifted by the PTI leaders. All of them may retract from their statements if they are right,” he said. The PTI, he said, has done nothing for the betterment of the country despite 10 years rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (PTI) and their chief minister owned all the power theft in KP.

Responding to media queries, he said the political parties would have to hold dialogue with each other whereas the state institution has decided to stay away from politics then it should not be dragged by any party into the process.