PML-N unconcerned by any talks between army, PTI: Ahsan Iqbal

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has stated that the PML-N has “no reason to worry” about any potential talks between the military and PTI, Voice of America (VoA) Urdu reported on Thursday.

After days of speculation about a possible softening of his stance against the establishment, incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan categorically said on Tuesday that his party was ready for talks with the military establishment.

Speaking to reporters at Adiala jail, the PTI founder laid down three preconditions: the return of his party’s ‘stolen mandate’, the release of all detained party workers, and the holding of transparent elections.

During an exclusive interview with the outlet, Iqbal was asked if his party would have an issue with potential talks between the military and the opposition PTI. He responded that his party had “nothing to worry about” as it was unlikely to encounter any problems, adding that there was no prevalent thinking within the military to interfere in politics again either.

“As you know, the military’s spokesperson had very clearly and categorically stated that based on its 2018 experience, it had decided on an institutional level to separate itself from politics,” Iqbal said.

“If Imran believes the military establishment should stay neutral in politics, then why has he agreed to negotiate with it?”

Iqbal added that PTI should apologise to the institutions, adding that the party’s offensive position against the state would not yield anything positive.

“On the one hand, Imran says the military should be neutral […], and on the other hand, he says only animals are neutral. He said the army chief is the father of the nation and then he called him Mir Jaffar and Mir Sadiq,” Iqbal said.

Institutions can move forward with banning PTI if they have a ‘strong case’

Regarding a potential ban on the PTI, Iqbal said institutions could always move forward with it if and when they had evidence for a strong case against the party.

He said that a lot of information had surfaced suggesting the party’s social media was “under the control of Pakistan’s enemy.”

Iqbal stated that, given the substantial alleged evidence against PTI, the information minister must have received reports that led to the announcement of the ban. He added that the decision would be thoroughly investigated and made in accordance with the law and Constitution.

“This [ban] cannot be done via a notification […] and if the government is to take this decision then the decision should be so strong that it can stand the scrutiny of law.”

Last month, the government announced that had decided to ban the PTI based on the evidence it has collected against the party.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that the decision was taken in view of the “foreign funding case, the May 9 riots, the cipher episode, and the resolution passed in the US against Pakistan”.