Imran admits giving call for protest outside GHQ

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan on Monday admitted that he gave a call for a protest outside the army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi before his arrest.

The former prime minister made the admission while speaking to reporters during a hearing of a case inside the Adiala jail.“I had given a call for holding a peaceful protest outside the GHQ before my arrest… They made our peaceful protest a treason,” Imran Khan said.

He said when he received gunshot in Wazirabad, he named an official but no protest or arson took place.He said police and Rangers attacked his house in Zaman Park on 14 March. “Later, on March 18, the law enforcers again forcibly barged into my house,” he said, adding that on the same day, the Judicial Complex witnessed shelling inside and outside its compound.

The cricketer-turned-politician referred to an incident last year when, ahead of his appearance before a court, fierce clashes erupted between his supporters and security personnel.Back then, he had claimed that the government was planning to either assassinate or arrest him inside the Judicial Complex.

Recalling the March 18 incident, he said he understood that he would be arrested, adding that he then called for a peaceful protest in front of the army’s headquarters before his arrest.The PTI founder said his counsels assured him that they would be part of the investigation and surrender to the police for arrest.

Replying to a question, the 71-year-old former prime minister said martial law was better than a technocratic regime, adding, “An unannounced martial law, however, remains in place in the country, already.”

He further alleged that CCTV footage disappeared from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises.Referring to the raid on his Zaman Park residence in Lahore, Imran said he had given a call for a peaceful protest in response to an “attack on my home”.

The former premier, who was ousted from power via the opposition’s no-confidence motion in April 2022, said that he had requested the Supreme Court to hold a judicial inquiry into the May 9 mayhem. He added that he had also reminded the chief justice to hear his petition.

Imran aid that he lamented the biased treatment of PTI workers detained in military jails, suggesting a plan to also incarcerate him under similar charges, and try in a military court. He added that witnesses are being ‘prepared’ against him in May 9 cases.He also mentioned that the Toshakhana reference had been politicised, with selective action against him while ignoring cases against Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari.

He criticised the treatment of PTI members and the role of certain political figures in manipulating judicial processes.Imran attributed the country’s economic crisis to mismanagement by previous government of the PMLN when agreements with the IPPs were done, highlighting the significant current account deficit left by the PMLN government.

He asserted that democracy is being undermined and questioned the Chief Election Commissioner’s alignment with the PMLN.Imran rejected the notion of a technocrat setup as a solution to Pakistan’s crises, advocating for transparent elections as the only remedy for the country’s challenges.

He said that multinational companies were leaving the country, and our professionals were settling abroad.He accused Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi of being a fraud acting under higher authority and refused to apologise for his actions, demanding an apology from others instead.

Imran also condemned Monday’s police raid on PTI Central Secretariat, adding that democracy was being flouted.HE said that situation in the KP province was out of control and people’s temperament was high.

When asked that he blamed the military for direct firing [in Bannu] but the PTI-run KP government had issued a statement contrary to that, Imran said that he was in the jail, and he didn’t know was happening outside.

To a further similar query, Imran said he had made a more important statement that there should be a judicial commission to probe the Bannu incident and fact should be determined.To a question that Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed got the chief election commissioner appointed after consultation with the PMLN, Imran said Gen Faiz did with Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa asked him to do.

“They kept assuring me that they were neutral. Gen Bajwa had his own game plan. He was expert in backstabbing,” the former prime minister added.It’s worth noting that Imran Khan, in his talk, mentioned not once but twice about giving a call to protest in front of the GHQ

He questioned why can’t there be a peaceful protest in front of the GHQ. Saying that the PTI founder chairman went to his seat. Journalists tried to ask questions but he did not take any questions. Later, when Imran was condemning arrest of PTI Spokesperson Raoof Hasan, a journalist asked him that he mentioned about giving a protest call in front of the GHQ, did that mean you was admitting that the May 9 incidents happened as a result of his call? Imran said that we had a peaceful protest, adding that when the chairman of a party was dragged, arrested and abducted, such reaction was to come and that’s what happened. Interrupting the talk of Imran Khan, PTI leader Babar Awan, who was with him, tried to tell the journalists that the call mentioned by the PTI founder to protest before the GHQ was long before May 9.

Babar Awan realised that Imran’s statement could do a damage, but the PTI founder again told the journalists that if protests and sit-ins can be held all over the country, why can’t there be a peaceful protest in front of GHQ?

While Imran Khan’s confession of protesting at GHQ was going on all day on social media, PTI leaders Asad Qaiser and Ali Mohammad Khan said that the statements attributed to Imran Khan were being deliberately spread. Ali Muhammad posted a message on X, saying he himself was present when Imran said that how could he give a call for protest being in custody.