Let’s assume that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested illegally from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), but still, there is no justification for the May 9 riots during which the party leaders and workers attacked military installations in 36 cities, said senior analyst Muzamal Suharwardy.
While speaking at a program on Naya Duar TV, the analyst questioned whether Imran Khan could claim that no one was arrested illegally during his tenure as premier of the country.
He said that Khan is raising illogical questions in response to the press conference of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) DG. Khan cannot justify attacks on military installations through such questions, he added.
Suharwardy said that Khan was arrested by the Rangers, but the next day he was released by then-chief justice Umar Atta Bandial. “If Khan’s arrest is a reality, then Khan’s release on the next day is a reality too,” he added.
The analyst said that the PTI leadership was making contradictory statements in response to the May 9 riots. At one point, they claim no police force was deployed on the roads to block their way; on the other end, they claim their leaders and workers were tortured by police personnel for holding a ‘peaceful’ rally on May 9.
In response to Khan’s question about why there was no security at Corps Commander House, Suharwardy said that there is a shopping mall in front of Corps Commander House, adding that it is not a high-security zone.
While responding to another question, the analyst said that a bench has been formed to hear the case of malicious campaigning against judges. He said that the bench was formed following letters written by Justices Babar Sattar and Mohsin Akhtar Kayani seeking contempt proceedings against those involved in the campaign.
“If judges are respected, then army officers are respected too,” he stressed.