No information about Imran’s role in May 9 riots: PM

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar said on Sunday that the people, who were in hiding in the wake of May 9 violence, last year, would continue to face legal hurdles until they surrendered themselves to the law.

According to Express News, Kakar stressed that military trial could be held during the tenure of the caretaker government. He repeated his earlier stance that only those responsible for the violence should be punished and not the entire party.

May 9 riots refer to the attacks on state installations last year, following the arrest of then Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan in a corruption case. The installations, which were attacked, included the army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi corps commander house in Lahore.

When asked about the PTI founder's personal involvement in the events of May 9, the prime minister said in an interview that so far, he did not have the information to form such an opinion. “Before forming an opinion, I understand that this is a judicial process,” he said.

Kakar emphasised that intelligence reports varied and punishment could not be determined on their basis. However, he added: “Many are in hiding after the events of May 9. Until they surrender to the law, there will be legal obstacles in their political activities.”

On Friday, the government announced the formation of a committee to investigate the May 9 riots. The prime minister said that the outcome of the investigation would be shared with the nation by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) once it was completed.

Read PM questions effectiveness of justice system

On a personal note, the prime minister said that he voted for the PTI in the 2013 and 2018 elections but now he would not vote for it in the coming general election scheduled for February 8. He added that he changed his mind after seeing the PTI performance during its three-and-a-half years in government.

“I voted for the PTI in the hope that it would solve the governance challenges. Unfortunately, in three to three-and a-half-years, my opinion changed. PTI had no team and no preparation,” Kakar said referring to the PTI government after the 2018 elections until its removal in April last year.

About the February vote, Kakar said as soon as the election results came, uncertainty would end. “Who will form the government, it is for the people to decide,” he emphasised. “Whoever, even the PTI, forms the government, we will hand over the power,” he said.

When asked if it had been decided that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz would be brought to power, the prime minister stated that he had no knowledge of any such thing. “It is up to the people to decide.   We don’t have any choice. We have no personal problem with anyone.”

Responding to a question about the situation in Balochistan, the home province of the prime minister, Kakar said that Brahmadagh Bugti wanted to make an independent Balochistan state and added that “in such a case, let history decide whether someone calls them traitors or not.”