Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said on Monday that the PTI?s ?unjustified? criticism of the army pushed the institution to respond to the rhetoric.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, he also accused the opposition party of repeatedly criticising the army and its leadership for its own political gains.

The minister?s censure is the latest in a string of admonishments directed toward the PTI from the country?s politicians, who have been rallying behind the armed forces after a fiery press conference by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaurdhry on December 5.

The press conference, where the army spokesperson assailed incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan for creating and spreading an ?anti-army? rhetoric, followed the former prime minister?s latest outburst against the military leadership, delivered this week through his sister Uzma Khan during a jail visit after weeks of restricted access.

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