ZULFIQAR AHMAD

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday warned that any decision to drag in the army for security of federal capital by invoking Article 245 of the constitution will force the party to move the court.

In a meeting of the party’s core committee held here with PTI chairman Imran Khan in the chair, it was resolved: “The PTI will not, under any circumstances, accept the PML-N government’s decision to invoke Article 245 to call in the army in support of the federal government in Islamabad.”

The PTI core committee pointed out that PML-N itself took out a long march on Islamabad in 2009 just before the Swat Operation against militants by exercising its democratic right.

It questioned why Article 245 was not invoked when the army was engaged in a massive crackdown against militants in Malakand division, especially in Swat.

“If the government has withdrawn its invocation of Article 245, it is a realpolitik decision…democratic sitting governments do not resort to Article 245 as it effectively signals an admission of failure to govern and maintain law and order to protect the citizens,” it maintained.

The PTI core committee said incumbent government has failed on all fronts, adding the PML-N itself conceded to its failure to protect the capital, its citizens and sensitive installations.

“The PTI had a culture of peaceful protests and if the government wants to place its million march in direct confrontation with the army that is a dangerous tactic which will not bear any fruit,” it added.

The committee contended that it is unacceptable to try and draw in the army into what is clearly a democratic political protest March. The army is a national institution and not a tool for the PML-N to use against its political opponents.