Amid allegations of the powerful army’s involvement in politics and interference by the intelligence agencies in the working of the judiciary, Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir said the military was “well aware” of its constitutional limits and expected others to uphold the Constitution.
The general said that those who ignore the clear restrictions imposed on freedom of expression in the Constitution cannot point fingers at others.
“We are well aware of our constitutional limits” and expect others to uphold the Constitution of Pakistan, said Gen Munir on Thursday. He was addressing the Pakistan Air Force’s passing out parade at the Asghar Khan Academy in Risalpur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Munir’s remarks came two days after Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa said that pushing the judiciary towards taking a specific action was akin to interference in the judicial process.
The Chief Justice was referring to a letter written by not one or two but six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges on March 25. They alleged interference of agencies in their matters. The top court took suo motu notice of the matter and later several bar councils also filed petitions and they were made parties to the case.
The powerful army has hitherto wielded considerable power in matters of security and foreign policy. It has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 75-plus years of existence. However, the military has refused meddling in Pakistan’s politics.
Gen Munir praised the PAF for patrolling the airspace in all kinds of hardships, terming the shooting down of an Indian fighter jet in February 2019 as a great example of the same.