‘My Name Is Khan and I’m Not a Traitor’: Imran Demands Live Trials for May 9 'Rioters'

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday challenged the Pakistan Army to hold open trials for those accused of causing unrest on May 9 to protest his arrest at the hands of the nation’s anti-corruption watchdog.

“DG ISPR said yesterday that we are traitors. Rebellion against the country is a very big crime. Bring the evidence you have, we will bring our evidence, make it an open trial,” Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said, referring to scores of PTI cadres in police custody who will most likely be tried for the May 9 violence under draconian Army Act.

“I demand a live trial on TV so that I have a chance to tell the nation what happened to us. How I was betrayed, how I was lied to. Pakistan’s future decisions are being made in Dubai by corrupts. In no country around the world you will see this,” Imran Khan said.

Khan was referring to the meeting being held between the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Dubai where both parties are discussing election strategy for elections which could be held towards the end of this year.

Imran Khan further revealed that the Pakistan spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), confided in him that his predecessor Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari were “looters”.

“Pakistan is running under the law of the jungle. Thieves like Zardari and Nawaz can’t decide the fate of Pakistani people (sitting) in Dubai,” Khan said.

“My name is Khan and I am not (a) traitor – (my) whole life I served Pakistan,” Khan said. Prove the allegations or else apologise,” Khan warned.

PTI cadres are yet to be presented before the army, the nation’s attorney general told the Pakistan Supreme Court on Tuesday. Mansoor Usman Awan confirmed before the apex court that no civilians are currently being tried by military courts.

The Pakistan Army on Monday said that it sacked three officers — including a lieutenant general — and ended proceedings against 15 officers for their connection to the May 9 riots.

However, the Pakistan Army’s spokesperson Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chau­dhry refrained from naming the officers against whom actions were taken.