By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan refused to apologise on Wednesday for the violent protests that erupted on May 9 after his brief arrest in a corruption case, saying he was unaware of the events at the time and had already condemned them.
Speaking to reporters after a court appearance in a corruption case, Khan said he was under detention when the protests took place and only learned of them later.
The former premier claimed to have condemned the violence when he appeared before the then-chief justice of Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial.
“I had already condemned those violent protests,” he added.
The refusal to apologize comes a day after the military’s public relations chief, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif, said there would be no dialogue with Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), until its leadership apologized for the May 9 protests.
Violent protests broke out nationwide following Khan’s arrest, with some protesters attacking military buildings and civilian installations. The clashes resulted in the loss of 10 lives, with authorities arresting over 7,000 individuals. Later, the country’s civilian and military leaders said that rioters and their backers who attacked state assets and military installations during protests would be tried under army law.
“We want dialogue for the sake of Pakistan, not to strike a deal for personal favours,” the jailed chief of PTI said. “If the establishment is not interested in dialogue, PTI will not pursue it either.”
Khan, however, clarified that he has no issue with the army as his close relatives are serving in the armed forces and bureaucracy.
The PTI chief also said he was willing to face an inquiry into the 2014 sit-in protest, which was staged to protest the 2013 elections.
He claimed that allegations against him had been proven wrong and that the 2024 elections were also fraudulent.
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