I wish the enlightened writer had made the effort to go through the PTI website to develop an informed knowledge base before taking the initiative of writing a scathing critique. Had he gone through the vision, manifesto, constitution, lists of spokespersons and some of the articles on the blog, his conclusions would have been different. Opinion writers are not supposed to have a free run with non-verifiable statements and their contents should be double-checked for correctness and accuracy.

Perhaps the PTI is the only centre-of-left political movement of Pakistan with a socio-economic agenda. It believes in all articles of the Lahore Resolution rather than its selective implementation as made by successive governments for political expediency.

It is the only party that has made Jinnah’s August 11 speech to the Constituent Assembly a cornerstone of its political evolution. Hence, its unique policy of syncretism, political pluralism and instrumentalism and belief that all Pakistanis are equal citizen irrespective of their religion. It would be a surprise for many that the PTI is the only party that does not confine non-Muslims to its minority wings. I am a spokesperson of the party on defence matters and this is on the basis of my competence and not religion.

Somehow most critics have chosen to ignore these realities and pick up Imran Khan on being pro-Taliban and pro-Jamaat-e-Islami. The party’s policy on drones is consistent with the UN Charter of the rights of a nation state and application of human rights and equitable justice. The policy seeks to restore the credibility of a long lost national deterrence and dissuasion that can make us proud as a nation. In no way does the PTI support militancy. All it does is attack its root causes militancy.