Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Leader Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari on Saturday said the plane hijacking of a serving army chief was a far bigger crime than May 9 incidents that involved violence following Imran Khan’s arrest in a graft case.
The PTI held a virtual political gathering amid certain challenges following May 9 and the PTI leader took this opportunity to reminisce about a reported plane hijacking by Nawaz Sharif of former Army Chief Pervaz Musharraf.
In a virtual political gathering, Bukhari emphasized that the hijacking incident was more condemnable than the May 9 events.
He acknowledged that the May 9 was a dark day in the political history of Pakistan and in the same breath condemned the incident.
The PTI, from its top leadership to its workers, had universally condemned the events of that day. However, he asserted that the hijacking of a plane carrying the former army chief, with 300 passengers onboard, constituted a more heinous crime.
As the former overseas minister of the Imran Khan government, Bukhari highlighted Imran Khan’s commitment to peaceful politics, asserting that the PTI condemned not only the May 9 incident but also any form of violence in politics.
He emphasized Imran Khan’s track record of non-violent political engagement.
In the virtual gathering, which drew an audience of 34,500 viewers, Zulfi Bukhari also condemned the recent disruption of social media platforms. He questioned the need for such actions, stating that if Imran Khan had committed any wrongdoing, authorities would not resort to such measures.
Bukhari defended Imran Khan’s character, stating that the case of Idat against him would never be lodged if he was not a righteous and truthful leader.
Expressing regret, he criticized the imposition of what he described Nawaz Sharif as a “certified criminal and terrorist” on the masses, emphasizing the importance of respecting the people’s right to vote and holding elections in a free and fair manner.
In his concluding remarks, Zulfi Bukhari paid tribute to social media workers for organizing an impressive virtual gathering for the PTI, highlighting the importance of these platforms in contemporary political discourse.