(CTN News) – Despite the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s denials of the jailed party founder’s “confession” about the May 9 violent protests, Imran Khan has reiterated his earlier statement that he directed his party’s workers to stage a peaceful protest outside the military’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi prior to his arrest last year.
The jailed former prime minister reportedly revealed to calling for a protest outside the GHQ before being arrested on May 9, 2023.
The PTI leadership had denied media reports of Imran Khan’s admission, alleging that the party founder “didn’t say what is being reported in the media”.
“We [categorically] deny this,” former National Assembly speaker and senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser remarked, alluding to the party’s founding statement.
However, Imran Khan reiterated what he had previously stated, claiming that he had affirmed the same in “three vlogs”.
“I told the party to hold a peaceful protest outside GHQ if I was arrested,” he told reporters on Monday at Adiala jail.
He claimed to have issued directions to stage protests in the garrison city’s cantonment zones, and that he had cited this a dozen times during enquiries.
When asked about the May 9 violent protests, which included attacks on state properties and military posts across the country, Imran Khan stated that the protests were not peaceful since the disturbances were “pre-planned”.
Imran Khan Clarifies His Stance on May 9 Riots: Pre-Planned Violence
He stated that criticism is necessary regardless of the institution.
The legally troubled PTI leader also announced a new stance on the “only animals are neutral” remark for 2022.
“Neutral does not imply animal; it implies apolitical. “I meant to say the army is non-partisan,” he claimed, referencing to a speech he made at a rally in Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2022 as prime minister.
The former premier has been involved in a number of prosecutions stemming from his suspected involvement in the May 9 riots, which began after his detention in a bribery case and resulted in the vandalism of various military and state institutions, including the Lahore Corps Commander’s home.
The then-government, including the current one, repeatedly blamed the PTI’s founder and senior leadership for planning “organised” attacks on military sites.
Despite obtaining relief in a number of instances, the ex-PM remains behind bars, having been arrested in May 9 cases and a new Toshakhana reference following his acquittal in the Iddat case.
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