In a statement on Monday, the premier termed the "smear campaign" against the COAS a "continuation" of a conspiracy against the army, terming it "unacceptable".
“This man Niazi is stooping to unprecedented lows in his desperation for power and going to the extent of damaging the country & undermining our armed forces and their leadership,” he said, in an apparent reference to PTI chairman Imran Khan.
The premier accused the former premier of "damaging the country and undermining our armed forces and their leadership", and stressed the need to reject the "agenda".
He warned overseas Pakistani of the attempts to use them as pawns in the said campaign, and asked them to be vigilant.
PM Shehbaz observed that the PTI chief was "dragging state institutions and their heads in his dirty politics and breaching the constitution".
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He directed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to deal with the "miscreants running this vile campaign" with an "iron fist".
Strict legal action should be taken against those who instigate chaos, riots and rebellion in Pakistan, he remarked.
Concluding, the premier assured that the "nation stands by its institutions and united against evildoers."
It isn't exactly clear as to what prompted the statement, but Dawn reported that hundreds of Pakistanis Americans gathered outside the White House a day earlier, and demanded the government to end its 'actions against Imran Khan'.
The reported added that during the demonstration, one of the protesters told the "establishment to realise its mistake", with another saying, "Time for the establishment to accept civilian supremacy."
The demonstrators called for and end to 'subjecting peaceful protests to police brutality' and the releasing of political workers being held in custody on 'trumped-up' charges.