ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry on Monday accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of repeatedly targeting the military and its leadership, claiming that the party’s “unjustified” rhetoric had compelled the army to respond.
Speaking in media remarks, Chaudhry rejected PTI’s claims that the military interferes in politics, saying the party had dragged the army and its chief into political disputes to advance its own agenda. “You level allegations without any reason… for how long will the institution remain silent? Eventually, it had to respond. The PTI pushed them to respond,” he said.
Chaudhry referred to the May conflict with India, highlighting the army’s role in defending the country and asserting that the institution takes pride in its martyrs and victories. He alleged that PTI had consistently avoided criticizing India’s actions while focusing attacks solely on Pakistan’s institutions.
The minister also accused Imran Khan of exploiting the army’s previous support for political gain, calling him “mentally ill” for considering himself indispensable to the country. He claimed the PTI leader came into power in 2018 “by riding on someone else’s shoulders” and now uses criticism of the military to pressure it into backing his return to power.
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Chaudhry warned that future actions against the army or public disturbances, such as protests outside Adiala Jail for Imran Khan’s visitation rights, would be met with legal consequences, including possible relocation of prisoners to ensure safety. He also accused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of being used to facilitate “jailbreaks and riots” for the PTI founder, asserting that provincial resources must be used solely for governance.
Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said on Monday that the PTI’s “unjustified” criticism of the army pushed the institution to respond.https://t.co/AV953C96Fl
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) December 8, 2025
Ending his statement, the minister emphasized that “nothing that will be a source of anarchy in Pakistan will be tolerated,” warning that unjustified criticism directed at the armed forces or other state institutions would now face consequences.
Chaudhry’s remarks come after a fiery press conference by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director general on December 5, where PTI founder Imran Khan was publicly criticized for allegedly spreading anti-army rhetoric during restricted jail visits and through statements by his family members.
