Imran wants end to mistrust, confrontation with military establishment

ISLAMABAD: PTI’s founder chairman Imran Khan wants an end to mistrust and confrontation between the PTI and the military establishment, claim party sources.

These sources said that Khan has allowed some of key leaders to work on this. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan when approached by this correspondent did not deny this. Barrister Gohar instead said that it is in the best interest of Pakistan, the PTI and the army to bring an end to the atmosphere of misunderstanding, mistrust and confrontation between the largest political party of the country and the military establishment.

He said that Imran Khan’s view about the importance of the institution of army for Pakistan is known to all and sundry. The PTI chairman said that the confrontation between the PTI and military establishment is neither in the interest of Pakistan nor that of the PTI or the army. As soon as it ends, it is good for all.

Meanwhile, sources in the PTI said that some party leaders including Barrister Gohar are doing their best to explore every possibility to normalise the party’s relations with the military establishment. Saner elements in the party are really disturbed with the irresponsible role of the PTI’s social media, which they agree in their background interaction, has caused a lot of misunderstanding and tension between Tehreek-e-Insaf and the military establishment.

There is an urge among certain PTI leaders for initiation of confidence building measures between the party and the military establishment. “We need to step back from our present positions,” a key PTI leader said, adding that Barrister Gohar and some other leaders are aggressively pursuing the agenda of reversing what the PTI and the military establishment experienced during the last two years.

“We want an end to the mistrust between the two,” a source said. Regarding Imran Khan’s recent message of “neutrality” to the Army Chief, the source explained that Imran Khan and the PTI do not want the military establishment to side with them. “We want the military establishment to stay away from politics,” said the source.

For PTI leaders, who are desirous of normalisation of relations with the military establishment, the challenge remains how to control the PTI social media from fueling the fire. It is admitted that some of those sitting outside Pakistan are causing a lot of damage to both the PTI and Imran Khan with their irresponsible and provocative social media posts.

The past two years have witnessed the unprecedented confrontation between the PTI and the military establishment. From the best of relationship between the two till a few years ago, today they stand face to face like enemies.