Defence Minister Khawaja Asif responded to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s denial of involvement in the May 9 violence last year.
Asif advised PTI’s Information Secretary, Raoof Hasan, to only deny what can be logically refuted, rather than outright dismissing facts. He made these comments during an appearance on the program ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, in response to PTI’s reaction to a press conference by Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.
The DG ISPR had stated that there would be no dialogue with groups linked to the May 9 violence and called for a sincere apology from those involved. PTI’s spokesperson demanded evidence to prove PTI’s role in the riots and criticized the DG ISPR’s statements as contradictory. Raoof Hasan claimed that PTI’s gatherings were peaceful and that Imran Khan, the party’s founder, had always respected the army.
Khawaja Asif countered by pointing to video evidence suggesting that PTI workers were involved in inciting the violence. He mentioned videos from Lahore’s General Headquarters and the Corps Commander House urging people to join the riots, which included speeches by PTI leaders like Yasmeen Rashid. Asif questioned PTI’s stance of neither owning nor disowning the events of May 9, including PTI leaders’ criticisms of Khan’s decisions and their condemnation of the violence.