PTI Admits Bajwa Extension Was a Mistake, Seeks Apology from Nation

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, has admitted that granting an extension to former Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa was the “biggest mistake” of the party. Speaking at a joint press conference alongside opposition alliance leaders, Qaiser announced that PTI now seeks an apology from the nation for this “grave error.”

Qaiser firmly stated that PTI would oppose any future extensions for military leadership, emphasizing the need to uphold democratic norms and constitutional boundaries. He also said martial law is “practically in effect” in Pakistan, criticizing the current political and judicial environment as undemocratic.

Calling for justice, Qaiser demanded that all legal cases against PTI leaders, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, be heard strictly on merit. He assured that PTI would continue to fight through all available democratic platforms, both within and outside Parliament.

Referring to the recent disqualification of opposition leaders from the National Assembly and Senate, Qaiser described it as a “mockery of democracy and the judicial system.” He further criticized the government for preventing elected members from visiting imprisoned leaders, calling it a violation of parliamentary norms.

Read more: PTI Loses Parliamentary Power Following ECP Disqualification Verdict

Opposition leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai echoed Qaiser’s sentiments, stating that the policy of military extensions must be permanently closed. “The Constitution is a social contract. Violating it shakes the very foundation of the country,” he said.

Achakzai also questioned why National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq did not act when PTI lawmakers were arrested from the Parliament. He contrasted the treatment of current opposition leaders with the leniency shown to PML-N leaders during Nawaz Sharif’s imprisonment.

Joining the press conference, senior politician Zubair Umar held the elite class responsible for Pakistan’s current economic crisis. He claimed that inflation has reached unprecedented levels and the middle class has “virtually vanished.”

The opposition alliance hinted at an upcoming nationwide protest plan, signaling escalating political tensions in the lead-up to the next general elections.