Despite denials from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regarding the jailed party founder Imran Khan’s alleged “confession” about the May 9 violent protests, Khan has reiterated his earlier statement that he directed his party members to stage a peaceful protest outside the military’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi prior to his arrest last year.
Imran Khan, the incarcerated former prime minister, recently admitted to giving a call for a protest outside the GHQ before his arrest on May 9, 2023. However, PTI leadership refuted media reports about Khan’s admission, claiming the party founder “didn’t say what is being reported in the media.”
“We [categorically] deny this,” stated Asad Qaiser, former National Assembly speaker and senior PTI leader, referencing Khan’s statement. Despite these denials, Khan reaffirmed his stance, stating that he had confirmed the same in “three vlogs.”
“I had told the party to stage a peaceful protest outside GHQ if I get arrested,” he reiterated on Monday while speaking to reporters at Adiala jail. Khan explained that he had issued directives for protests in the cantonment areas of the garrison city and mentioned these instructions multiple times during investigations.
When questioned about the violent May 9 protests, which saw attacks on state properties, including military installations across the country, Khan stated that the unrest wasn’t peaceful because the riots were “pre-planned.” He emphasized that criticism should be allowed, regardless of the institution involved.
Additionally, Khan addressed his “only animals are neutral” remark from 2022, providing a new interpretation. “Neutral doesn’t mean animal; it means apolitical. I meant to say the army is non-partisan,” he clarified, referring to his previous statement made at a rally in Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during his tenure as prime minister.
The former premier has been embroiled in a series of cases related to his alleged involvement in the May 9 riots, which were sparked by his arrest in a graft case. The riots led to the vandalism of several military and state installations, including the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence. Both the then-government and the current administration have repeatedly blamed Khan and senior PTI leadership for orchestrating the “organized” attacks on military installations.
Despite securing relief in many cases, Khan remains behind bars due to his involvement in the May 9 cases and a new Toshakhana reference following his acquittal in an iddat case.
