Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Asad Umar said on Thursday that Imran Khan had not said anything that weakened the institution, adding that it was their ‘constitutional right’ to criticize the military leadership.

His statement came hours after director-generals of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) held an important press conference raising questions over senior journalist Arshad Sharif’s killing in Kenya.

“Whatever Imran Khan says is for the betterment of the army and the country,” the former planning minister said addressing a press conference along with Fawad Chaudhry and Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Lahore.

Umar said that Imran Khan did not agree with every decision of the armed forces and he definitely criticized some of the army’s decisions. “It is Imran khan’s constitutional right to criticize the country’s military.”

The PTI leader asked what unconstitutional demand was made in the meetings. “Imran Khan has time and again expressed his views on the armed forces’ role.”

He said that institutions had an influence on the political system, therefore, it was not unconstitutional to ask it to take the country out of the political crisis, adding that Imran Khan “believes that a strong army is crucial for Pakistan”.

He said that the PTI chief never spoke against the army abroad.

‘Don’t want to answer the press conference of institutions’

Speaking at the occasion Fawad Chaudhry said that who would have “sympathy with the army more than us”, adding that along with the leadership of the army, it was necessary to respect the political leadership as well.

“We do not want to answer the press conference of the institutions,” the PTI leader said and added that who loved the armed forces more than the PTI leaders.

PTI’s long march will be peaceful

Addressing the presser Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that PTI’s policy was very clear that its march towards Islamabad would be peaceful and would be inline with the Constitution. “Not a single glass was broken during the 126-day sit-in. The long march will be peaceful, there is no need to panic.”

Qureshi termed PTI leader Faisal Vawda’s presser an attempt to damage the confidence that people have in PTI.

He further said that he has been defending the constitution and will continue to do so. The role of all institutions is defined in the constitution.

He said that conducting general elections would bring stability to the country.

“We have been constantly saying that the cypher was and is a reality,” Qureshi said and recalled that when a meeting was held regarding the cypher he was present along with Imran Khan and Asad Umar. “We were informed that cypher is an important issue and the ambassador should be demarche over this.”