Lahore: Ousted prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said the "law of the jungle" is prevailing in Pakistan and the May 9 violence following his arrest for alleged corruption was a "well-planned false flag operation" by the Shehbaz Sharif-led government and state institutions to crush his party.
Pakistan saw unprecedented nationwide anti-government protests following the arrest of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman by paramilitary Rangers in a corruption case on May 9. Khan, 70, was later released on bail. Dozens of military installations and government buildings, including the military headquarters in Rawalpindi, were damaged or torched during the riots. Over 100 vehicles of police and other security agencies were set on fire.
"The May 9 was a well-planned false flag operation with the full backing of a controlled media and state institutions only with one purpose, to crush PTI," Khan said in a series of tweets. After the May 9 violence, the police backed by the military launched a crackdown on the PTI and arrested 10,000 party workers, including women. Over 100 have been handed over to the military for their trial under the Army Act.
Also read: Imran Khan mastermind of May 9 violence aimed at toppling military leadership, says Pak PM
The PTI contests that its members were not involved in the attacks, but the government and military reject the claims and say they have "irrefutable evidence" of their involvement. "In an increasingly desperate bid to suppress PTI, this regime is stooping to new abysmal lows each day, and there appears to be no respite in sight as the law of the jungle prevails in the country," Khan said.
Khan is also facing numerous cases related to attacks on military installations. Currently, he is facing over 150 cases related to terrorism, murder and blasphemy. He is reportedly under virtual house arrest at his private residence. The former premier cited the judgment of a court in which the judge termed involving him in a criminal case "a ridiculous way to implicate a person clearly reflecting malafide and ulterior motive".
Khan said the government and its handlers (military establishment) are blatantly using "collective punishment" on PTI workers men "to enforce a reign of terror". Interestingly, in an interview to Geo TV on Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the PTI chief was the mastermind of the May 9 violence and it was aimed at toppling the military leadership.
Khan was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan. The US has repeatedly dismissed his allegations. (PTI)
