By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday rejected an offer of talks from former premier Imran Khan, dismissing the idea that “anarchists and arsonists” who attacked symbols of the state are eligible for dialogue.
Khan had formed a committee last week to engage in discussions with the government, aiming to resolve the ongoing political turmoil in the country, which escalated due to violent protests following his arrest in a land fraud case.
On May 9, Khan’s followers targeted security forces and set fire to government and military properties, including the home of the Corps Commander in Lahore.
Subsequently, thousands of supporters, including senior leaders of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, have been arrested. The government and army have stated that those responsible for the violence will be subject to Pakistani laws, including the Army Act.
In the past, Khan had called the incumbent rulers “thieves” and categorically announced that he would never sit with them for dialogue.
In his tweet, PM Sharif admitted that dialogue is deeply embedded in the political process, which helps democracy mature and evolve.
“Dialogue is an integral part of the political process, facilitating the maturation and evolution of democracy. Many political and constitutional breakthroughs have been achieved when leaders engaged in constructive discussions,” Sharif said.
The prime minister was of the opinion that such people should rather be held to account for their militant actions, terming it a prevalent practice even in developed democracies.
“However, there is a significant difference here. Those who incite anarchy and carry out violent acts against the state cannot be considered for dialogue. They should be held accountable for their militant actions.”
Separately, interior minister Rana Sanaullah said Khan will be tried in a military court as the former prime minister was the “architect” of the May 9 incidents in which military and state installations were attacked by his party workers following his arrest in a corruption case.
Sanaullah also accused the PTI chief of personally carrying out the planning of the attacks on military installations before his arrest on the day.
When asked by local Dawn News television, if Khan would be tried in a military court, he said: “Absolutely, why shouldn’t he? The programme that he made to target the military installations and then had it executed, in my understanding it absolutely is a case of a military court.”
“His supporters chanted a slogan that ‘Imran Khan is our red line’, and the planning and preparation were done on Imran Khan’s initiative and instigation. He carried it all out. He is the architect of all this discord,” he said.
“(The evidence) is documented, it is in tweets and his messages,” he added.
Punjab Police had also previously claimed that Khan and his close aides allegedly coordinated efforts to storm the residence of the Lahore corps commander and other buildings.
Police had detected over 400 calls made by the PTI chairman and other senior leaders to allegedly incite party workers to move towards the military officer’s residence in Lahore Cantt, and other sensitive public buildings.
It also claimed that all the rioters were in contact with the PTI top leadership, based in Zaman Park.
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