Coinciding with the latest attempt by PTI and its founding chairman to take the anti-Army campaign – particularly against the person of COAS, General Asim Munir – to a higher level comes a hard-hitting statement by real estate tycoon Malik Riaz Ahmed threatening to unravel things which might create tremors and his assertion that he would never become an approver against Imran Khan and that it could happen only over his dead body.

There is surely a connection between these developments. His statement has created quite a commotion in the already troubled waters of the national landscape. Malik Riaz is a man who has always remained on the right side of any regime and avoided taking sides in the political fight between the parties publicly. However, he has been playing his role behind the scenes on behalf of the ruling parties to settle or influence political events. He has been particularly cautious about uttering anything against the establishment. He is known for his ability to wriggle out of difficult situations by employing his traditional strategy to get the wheel rolling with his ill-gotten money. This latest convulsion by him probably is indicative of the fact that he is trying to give vent to his frustration for having failed to win favours from the present civilian and military leadership. He is probably left with no choice other than to show solidarity with PTI.

A smearing campaign against COAS is tantamount to maligning and denigrating the institution of the Army itself.

His meteoric rise to the status of a tycoon and the power that comes with it is a classic story of rags-to-riches.........

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