Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Imran Khan has chosen the same route as Altaf Hussain and so he will be given the same space given to the former MQM leader.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Spot Light with Munizae Jahangir on Aaj News on Monday, Sanaullah said that MQM was only surviving because it had managed to get rid of Altaf Hussain.

He also said that the speculation about any proposal of Imran Khan being sent abroad was completely false. He also added that any proposal of talks with the PTI was now off the table because it would invite curses from family of the army’s martyrs.

He also added that no proposal of a ban on the PTI as a political party was under consideration either. However, he said that there were reports indicating that PTI was behind the violence on May 9 and 10 and if things were proven a reference could be filed for the party to be banned.

‘Applying Army Act a routine matter’

Rana Sanaullah also said that cases under Army Act were a routine matter and standing military courts are already in existence. He said that people involved in the events of May 9 and 10 will be tried under anti-terrorism laws and the army act would be enforced where applicable.

He said that the cases registered against the events of May 9 fell into two categories, cases under the Army Act of 1952 and cases in the anti-terrorism courts and the ‘requirements of the law would be fulfilled’.

However, he said that people who received a sentence from military courts would have the right to appeal, first in the same court and then in the Supreme Court or High Court.

He also said that reports had been received that the protests on May 9 would be peaceful but they took a violent turn. He also said police was present and tried to stop protestors and police personnel were injured in the riots including a DIG.

He added that peaceful protests do not involve setting fires to people’s houses. He reffered to Imran Khan as a ‘ring leader’ for terrorists and PTI had organised the events of May 9 as per a carefully designed plan.

He also added that Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9 had been made by NAB with aid from the rangers and the government had nothing to do with it.

He added that Imran Khan’s lack of certainty about being arrested again was misplaced.

Imran Riaz Khan

The interior minister clarified that journalist Imran Riaz Khan was not in in the custody of any law enforcement agency.

He said that if he had been ‘picked up’ after release, then whoever was responsible would be brought before the law.

However, Rana Sanaullah added that it was possible that Imran Riaz Khan migh have gone into hiding as a propaganda against agencies.