LAHORE: Gullu Butt, the infamous character seen vandalising property during the June 17 Model Town incident, has apologised to the nation and members of Allama Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

In an exclusive interview with DawnNews on Saturday, Butt narrated his version of events on June 17, saying he is ashamed of his past and regrets his actions.

Butt was involved in smashing private vehicles parked outside the Minhajul Quran Secretariat in Model Town during an operation carried out by the Punjab government against alleged illegal barricades erected by the PAT.

“I am apologising to the entire nation. I am neither a criminal nor a criminal’s offspring. I am willing to fall in Allama Qadri’s feet to ask for his forgiveness,” he said.

“Whatever I have done is in front of the media … I am ashamed of that, and ask the entire nation to forgive me.”

Butt was arrested following the June 17 incident with charges of being involved in smashing private vehicles, but was released from jail last week.

Grammatically yours: 'Gullu' may make it to Oxford Dictionary

After video clips and images of the baton-wielding, handlebar-moustached man smashing vehicles went viral on the internet, the word “gullu” became a phenomenon and trended on social media.