ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan has offered a conditional apology for the May 9 riots as he served one year into his prison term.
Speaking to the media after a court hearing related to the £190 million reference at Adiala Jail, Khan stated that he would apologize if Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and leaders were found to be involved in the violent protests that erupted last year following his arrest from the Islamabad High Court in a corruption case.
Khan’s conditional apology came after Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry’s press conference on Monday last. In that briefing, Chaudhry reiterated the armed forces’ stance on the May 9 riots, affirming that their position remained unchanged from the May 7 press conference. During the May 7 conference, DG ISPR had declared that it was not possible to engage with “any political ideology, any political leader, or any political group” involved in attacks on its own army.
The ISPR statement came in response to a question regarding Imran Khan’s July 31 offer for talks with the army and called on the military to appoint its representatives for the negotiations.
In May 7 press conference, DG ISPR had said that unavoidable evidence of the May 9 riots is available. The attacks on the army’s installations that took place within hours on May 9 were recorded on the CCTV cameras.
Imran Khan said that “The CCTV footages from May 9 should be released. Hiding evidence is a crime,” Imran Khan said. If any members are identified, they will be expelled and punished.”
The violent protests saw attacks on public properties including military installations in many parts of the country, prompting the civil and military leadership to try the rioters under the Army Act.
“Don’t you feel obliged to apologise to me?” asked the PTI founder.
The latest statement came as the PTI founder has apparently lowered his political rhetoric lately and offered to hold talks with the military.
The PTI founder said that he was ‘kidnapped’ on the pretext of an arrest on May 9, demanding that an apology should be sought from him over his ‘abduction’.
“There is no respect for a popular person in Pakistan and globally,” he added.
“Don’t you feel obliged to apologise to me?” asked the PTI founder.
The latest statement came as the PTI founder has apparently lowered his political rhetoric lately and offered to hold talks with the military.
He said In a separate interview with Reuters on August 4, Khan stressed the importance of maintaining strong relations with the military, describing it as “foolish” to do otherwise. He reiterated this point in a written statement at Adiala Jail, where he marked one year of imprisonment on August 5.
In a written response to questions at Adiala Jail, Imran Khan reiterated his belief that strengthening ties with the military is essential.
