Karachi: The leader of the opposition in the lower house of Pakistan’s Assembly on Wednesday criticised the government for invoking a constitutional clause to deploy the army in the capital.

Khurshid Shah, the senior leader of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), told journalists in Sukkur, his hometown, that such a move could be a big blunder for a political government

“The use of [military] power for a political government was a big mistake and only adjustment of political position could be the only way out,” Shah said.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government announced plans to deploy troops in Islamabad, the capital city, ahead of August 14, when the nation would be celebrating the 66th anniversary of independence from the British raj in 1947.

However critics and opposition parties believe the decision was taken to head off a proposed long march by Imran Khan, the cricketer-turned politician, who is rallying his supporters to challenge the Sharif government in the capital city on the same day.

However, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, in a press conference a few days ago rejected the opposition claim saying the decision to deploy the army in the capital had been taken when the operation against militants was launched in North Waziristan.

Rumours were also echoing in Islamabad that the government might reshuffle the cabinet to change the interior minister for mishandling the situation.

“Deploying the army to resist a political protest of any political party is the failure of the government as a whole and not [just] the interior ministry,” Shah said.

He added that taking refuge in article 245 of the constitution was wrong as it was not appropriate for a democratically elected government to use “power” against political rallies.

The opposition leader recalled that PPP government had invoked the article in the past and it had to bear the bitter consequences of its decisions even until now.

Tensions have been rising in Pakistan as Khan vowed to launch his political campaign with the aim, many believe, to change the present government within the parliament, or force midterm elections.

Shah was of the view that the present government should complete its five-year term and after that the tenure should be curtailed to four-years to avoid political expediencies in the country.