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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday condemned the "vile campaign" against the Pakistan Army and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir abroad and called overseas Pakistanis to raise their voices against it, Pakistan-based Dawn newspaper reported.
"The campaign against the army chief is intolerable and a continuation of the conspiracy against the institutions," he said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The Pakistan PM said that "toxic politics" was being spread through overseas Pakistanis. Sharif called on patriotic Pakistanis living abroad to raise their voices against the "foreign-funded campaign" and not become a part of such conspiracies. Sharif in his statement also stated that PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan was dragging state institutions and their heads into his dirty politics, which was against the Constitution. He instructed the interior minister that those behind such anti-institution campaigns within the country should be dealt with "iron hands". "Strict legal action should be taken against those who instigate chaos, riots and rebellion in Pakistan," Sharif said, adding that the nation stood by its institutions and was united against evildoers, Dawn reported. He further said that the campaign against the COAS, who according to the prime minister was the "first army chief to be appointed on merit in Pakistan", could only be the agenda of the enemies of the country. Later in a tweet, PM Shehbaz said: "PTI's disgusting smear campaign against Chief of the Army Staff General Asim Munir at the behest of Imran Niazi is deserving of the strongest condemnation." "This man Niazi is stooping to unprecedented lows in his desperation for power and going to the extent of damaging the country and undermining our armed forces and their leadership," he added, according to Dawn. Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir on Wednesday said that he would not interfere in politics, reported The News International. He said that political leadership should resolve its issues on its own in a Geo News programme "Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath." Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan earlier had said that he is ready to talk to Army Chief General in the broader interest of the country but no one is willing to talk. Responding to it, the army chief said that it was not his job as army chief to meet politicians. Asim asserted that the army would neither interfere in politics nor would play any role in it. He maintained that he would not interfere in political matters and the political leadership itself should resolve its issues, reported The News International. Speaking in the programme, senior anchorperson Hamid Mir said President Arif Alvi had tried to arrange a meeting between Gen Asim Munir and Imran Khan. The army chief told the president that he wants to stay away from politics, Mir added. (ANI)
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