Imran seeks SC-led probe into rioting ‘set off by his arrest’

LAHORE:

 

PTI Chairman and former premier Imran Khan on Saturday demanded an independent investigation into the vandalism and violence that broke out during the protests in the aftermath of his arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9, under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

The PTI chief also urged his supporters to come out of their homes and gather at a spot in their neighbourhood from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm on Sunday (today) with placards inscribed with “Save Constitution, Save Country” and once again announced to kick off a series of public rallies from Muridke, Punjab from May 17 (Wednesday).

In in his first address to the nation from Lahore after his release from NAB’s custody, the former premier called for an investigation into the protests and vandalism that occurred following his arrest on May 9, asking Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to lead the investigation and "personally" chair the panel.

“I want an independent and complete investigation into the burning of state buildings and firing at unarmed youth protesters. I want CJP Umar Ata Bandial to constitute a panel under him for this purpose.”

Imran denied the involvement of his party workers in the nationwide violent protests and attacks on the military installations, including the Lahore Corps Commander House and the General Headquarters (GHQ).

He asserted that those who provoked violence during PTI protests were not “their people”, claiming that “these miscreants” instigated the people to act violently.
He reiterated that his supporters always remained peaceful during their 27-year struggle.

The PTI chief recalled that he had called off sit-in in Islamabad last year, as he wanted to avert violence. “When I was shot [in Wazirabad], should not there have been vandalism? This did not happen, because I do not believe in violence. PTI is the only political party in the country where families, including children, attend public gatherings and why they would ever want anarchy in the country?” he asked.

“I was told to set up a militant wing for my party if I wanted to build PTI in Karachi, as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and other parties had armed wings. This was 25 years ago. I told them (powers that be) the day you include armed men in your party, its nature changes, and thus, I refused,” he said.

The former premier accused the coalition government for mayhem, saying those who feared elections wanted anarchy in the country and not his party. “And those who fear [polls] will be destroyed in elections. They want chaos,” he added.

While extending gratitude to the judiciary for “saving him” from going to jail, he castigated PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif for “destroying” the judiciary’s independence in the past. “When an independent judiciary is destroyed, your independence comes to an end with it, because the judiciary protects your fundamental rights.”

The PTI chairman observed that democracy was hanging by thread and only the judiciary could save it, adding that “this mafia is going all out in attacking the judiciary”.

He urged the nation to stand with the judiciary and the Constitution.

Imran condemned the manner in which he was arrested from the Islamabad High Court on May 9, saying the army, which should not have come to apprehend him, assaulted him.

He noted that on Friday the police stopped him for leaving the IHC premises despite the court granted him bail in multiple cases.

“The police wanted to arrest me under MPO (Maintenance of Public Order) outside the courtroom,” he claimed.

In his defence against the NAB case, Imran claimed that he did not reap any personal benefit from Al-Qadir Trust, saying that a “trustee never gets any monetary benefit”.

He said the decision to establish a university was taken in November 2018 and that its groundbreaking ceremony was held when he was the premier in May 2019.

“The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA)’s case surfaced seven years after that and it was taken up in the cabinet in December 2019. At the time, the funds for the university had already been allocated,” he said.

“The case was quite simple. We were given a choice that Pakistan would receive $170 million from NCA and its details regarding the agreement would remain confidential or otherwise we [would] have to file a case in the UK. We were also told that we had already wasted $100 million on foreign litigations and if we file a case, it will take years to conclude. Hence, we decided that if $170 million come to the Supreme Court or to the government, it would come to Pakistan. Instead, the government made a corruption case against me over this,” he said.

Imran said the aim to establish Al-Qadir University was to produce leadership for the country, which was acquainted with Islamic teachings.

He lambasted the recently sacked NAB chairman as well as the “handlers” for incorporating his wife’s name in the case.

Imran fired broadside at the country’s military establishment for "jumping into politics", suggesting that it should form its own political party.

He vented out his frustration over what he called “baseless allegations” levelled by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) against him and his party.

"Never has ISPR said such things. You should be ashamed of yourself. You have jumped into politics. Why don't you make a party for yourself," he said.

"I am trying to restrain myself [here] as I am very angry at your allegations since you don't know what you are talking about."

“DG Sahib, I had represented my country and brought prestige to it when even you were not even born,” he said while addressing the DG ISPR and added, “you should know who defended the Pakistan Army at the international forums during the war on terror”.

The PTI chairman went on to say that he did not use derogatory words for the army chief, asking “how could you (DG ISPR) level allegations against me”.
He averred that he was not responsible for the economic meltdown in the country. “If I criticise someone, it means I want reforms.”

Imran continued that the army was maligned because of the former army chief’s actions who not only “stabbed him in the back but also imposed a corrupt mafia on the country”.

“The nation is not a herd of animals that acts as the army chief desires,” he said.
“The DG ISPR does not have the right to call me a liar or deceptive person.”

Imran stressed that nobody could eliminate a political party by force and put them in jail.

“I know you (army chief) would not listen to me but my suggestion for you is to come out of small, closed rooms and see how you could save the country from destruction.”

The PTI chief also claimed that he knew the names of all those who planned his assignation last year.

“I know that a plan was devised to kill me. I know the names of all the actors involved in it, from top to bottom. I know who gave the green light and colluding with them were two civilians: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah,” he added.