LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Members of the ruling alliance on Tuesday lashed out PTI founder Imran Khan over what they saw as a confession that he had ordered his supporters to gather outside the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on May 9 last year, in case he was arrested.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday called for strict action against the PTI, citing national interest and security, and accused former prime minister Imran Khan of orchestrating the May 9 riots.

“Strict action against this evil anarchist group, following the Constitution and law, is a requirement of national security and national interests,” she said in a statement.

“The May 9 culprit (Imran Khan) has confessed to planning and masterminding the May 9 riots,”

Ms Sharif said, adding that the PTI was not a party but an anarchist group aiming to harm the state through mischief.

PTI goes on the defensive, says founder was referring to ‘peaceful protests’

She claimed that Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore continued to serve as “a training headquarters for the terrorists”, where training was given for “making petrol bombs and attacking the state”.

She also claimed that the May 9, 2023, violent riots — erupted across the country after Mr Khan was arrested in a corruption case — were “planned during the four-month drama of agitation”.

The chief minister said that during the riots, more than 200 military installations were attacked, Air Force planes were set on fire, the corps commander’s house was attacked, and martyrs’ memorials were desecrated.

Ms Sharif also accused the PTI of conspiring to push Pakistan towards default by writing letters to the IMF, alienating friendly countries, maligning their leadership, making baseless accusations regarding CPEC and China, and even disrupting the Chinese president’s visit by staging a sit-in.

Calling the party ‘Tehreek-i-Intishaar’, Information Minister Atta Tarar said Imran Khan had finally confessed to his crime of “planning and facilitating” the May 9 tragedy, alleging that members of his family were giving instructions outside the corps commander house in Lahore ahead of the attack on the building.

PPP leader Senator Sherry Rehman also called on Mr Khan to apologize to the whole nation.

The PPP senator said Imran had always blamed state institutions for violence in peaceful protests but the fact was that he (Imran) has always provoked his supporters to be violent on such occasions.

Speaking to Geo News later, she said that her party knew what peaceful protests meant.

Meanwhile, Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari said the entire nation was aware of “digital terrorists” and their backers.

“The younger generation is being incited against the country’s security institutions through systematic planning. The children of the person conspiring against the country are living a luxurious life in London. Pakistan’s youth should stay away from the agenda of this disruptive party,” she said in a statement.

She emphasised that Imran Khan, currently imprisoned in Adiala Jail, and his party were unacceptable to Pakistan.

PTI defence

The PTI went on the defensive, with members of Mr Khan’s legal team insisting that he was referring to peaceful protests, while other leaders flat out denied that the party founder had said any such thing.

Mr Khan’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja told reporters on Tuesday that his client had not admitted to any wrongdoing regarding the events of May 9.

He maintained that as per Mr Khan’s stance, the attacks on March 14 at Zaman Park and on March 18 at the judicial complex involved security personnel.

Mr Raja claimed that following these incidents, the party had decided that if there was further interference, peaceful protests would occur at appropriate locations, including GHQ or other offices, without causing damage.

Former NA speaker Asad Qaiser also claimed that Mr Khan didn’t say what was being reported in the media regarding his confessional statement.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2024