LAHORE: Critical of the PML-N government’s decision to call the army in Islamabad apparently to deal with the situation in the wake of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s call for long march on Aug 14, former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani disclosed on Friday that he was ‘advised’ the same to deal with the long march held to restore former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry but he declined to do so.

“I was advised to call the army under Article 245 of the Constitution in Islamabad to prevent the long march for the restoration of judiciary but I did not agree. Had I followed the advice both the army and judiciary would have been placed in a clash-like situation,” he said and added how the Nawaz-government could take such an extreme step just to settle a political issue.

“I wonder at the strange decision of the PML-N government that may have serious repercussions,” Mr Gilani told Dawn.

“The army under Article 245 of the Constitution is only called in when there is subversion, war or chaos in the country and the government has completely failed to control the situation. What message the government wants to give by calling the army to prevent Imran Khan from holding a long march on Aug 14. It is a political issue and should be resolved politically. The move may result in politicizing the army,” he said.

Mr Gilani further said the PPP had shown patience and political wisdom during Dr Tahirul Qadri’s sit-in in Islamabad and the matter was resolved peacefully. But the PML-N government in Punjab got panicky even before Dr Qadri’s arrival and launched a police operation at his headquarters in Model Town, resulting in the killing of over a dozen people.

“The government should reconsider its decision of calling the army in Islamabad and hold talks with Imran Khan to resolve the political issue politically. Rigging is a political issue and it the right of the political parties to raise voice against it. The PML-N government should stop putting curbs on the freedom of expression. There is a democracy in the country and the army is not called to crush political protests,” Gilani argued.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2014