Imran puts onus of apology on army for his detention
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan has claimed that the army owes an apology to him since he was “abducted” by the Rangers on May 9, 2023.
The PTI leader’s remarks came during a media talk at Adiala Jail where he was asked that the army wants those behind violent protests of May 9 to apologise and whether he would tender an apology.
Mr Khan further said he was arrested by the Rangers, which is headed by a serving major general, from the premises of the Islamabad High Court.
Since May 7, when ISPR Director General Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif said any dialogue with the PTI could happen if the party apologised for its ‘politics of anarchy’, Mr Khan has repeatedly said he had no reason to apologise.
However, over the past few weeks, Mr Khan has repeatedly expressed his willingness to talk to the army and not with the government.
He reiterated the same position on Saturday when he said he would only hold talks with the “real authority” as negotiations with the government is “a futile exercise”.
Talks with the government will be counter-productive as there is an unannounced martial law in the field, he alleged.
He added that talks with “people in the power corridors” would be within the ambit of the Constitution.
Responding a question that Mahmood Khan Achakzai has declined to become the focal person for proposed talks with the establishment, Mr Khan said the PkMAP leader had been nominated to negotiate with political parties.
Earlier this week, the ex-PM said his party was ready for talks with the military establishment but laid down preconditions: the return of his party’s “stolen mandate”, the release of all detained party workers, and the holding of transparent elections.
He had also urged the military to nominate their representatives for talks.
Food poisoning
The former PM also said he twice suffered from food poisoning as he had no refrigerator in his cell to preserve the food properly.
Talking about the new Toshakhana reference in which he and his wife are the accused, Mr Khan said the case was a “clear violation of the National Accountability Ordinance”.
The PTI founder claimed he was still in possession of the Graff watch, which he is accused of selling in the NAB reference.
According to Mr Khan, after a raid at his Banigala residence in March last year, he had moved his valuable possessions to a safer location.
He warned of legal proceedings against the NAB chairman, interior minister and those officers who implicated him in “false cases”.
Court adjourns proceedings
Earlier, the accountability court adjourned proceedings in the 190m pounds corruption reference till Aug 7.
Since Mr Khan’s counsel was not available, the cross-examination of the investigation officer, Mian Umar, couldn’t be completed.
The PTI leader’s legal team has filed an application before the judge, Nasir Javed Rana, to allow Mr Khan to call his children.
The court issued notices to the jail administration and adjourned the hearing.
Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2024