KARACHI: In what appears to be a damage control attempt, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas on Tuesday dispelled the impression that his party — the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) — was in conflict with the country’s armed forces.

“We feel proud of our armed forces and the sacrifices they have rendered for the defence of this country. The impression that God forbid the PTI is antagonistic to the army is completely unfounded and created by the enemies of Pakistan,” he said while speaking at the Meet the Press programme of the Karachi Press Club.

“The activists or leadership may have differences with someone, but it’s absolutely wrong to state that the PTI is against the army,” he added.

In a thinly veiled reference to the ongoing tussle between the Election Commission and the Presidency, the AJK prime minister was of the view that Pakistan could not afford a constitutional crisis and it was not appropriate to challenge the constitutional position of each other.

Terming the Election Commission’s response to President Dr Arif Alvi’s position unbearable, he said, the office of president was revered regardless of any person’s ego.

Tanveer Ilyas stresses need for dialogue between all political parties

The AJK premier also underscored the importance of dialogue and said all political parties, including the PTI, would have to sit together for talks to reach consensus.

In the same breath, he dispelled the impression that the PTI was unwilling to sit with other parties.

“Heavens would not fall in the country if elections are moved ahead or behind by two to four months, but it’s wrong to say that the PTI is not willing to sit at the negotiating table. PTI is just being maligned, despite the fact it has firm faith in democracy and its popularity is on the rise,” he said. He said the AJK PTI leadership was ready to undertake any responsibility in this regard.

Earlier, the prime minister visited the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, where he laid a wreath and offered fateha.

Later, the AJK premier also laid a wreath at the Martyrs Monument in Malir Cantonment and offered fateha at the grave of former president Pervez Musharraf. Later, in the evening, he held a meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah at his place.

Published in Dawn, February 22th, 2023