Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, currently imprisoned, has steadfastly refused to apologize for the riots that erupted on May 9, 2023, following his arrest. Khan asserts that it is the Pakistani Army that should apologize to him, as he was “abducted” by the paramilitary Rangers on that day.

Khan, 71, was apprehended by the Pakistan Rangers at the Islamabad High Court during a corruption case hearing. His arrest triggered nationwide protests and riots by supporters of his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), leading to significant damage to both civilian and military properties.

In response to calls from various quarters for Khan and the PTI to apologize for the “Black Day” violence, Army spokesman Major General Ahmed Sharif stated on May 7 that any dialogue with the PTI would require an apology from the party for its “politics of anarchy.”

During a media interaction from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, Khan rejected the notion of issuing an apology, asserting that he had been wrongfully detained. He emphasized that his arrest was executed by Rangers led by a serving major general, as reported by the Dawn newspaper.

Khan has recently expressed a preference for negotiating directly with the military establishment rather than with the government, describing talks with the government as “a futile exercise.” He suggested that such negotiations would be more productive if conducted within the framework of the Constitution and with the “real authority.”

Regarding recent developments, Khan mentioned that senior politician Mahmood Khan Achakzai had declined to act as the intermediary for talks with the establishment. Khan had earlier stated that his party was open to discussions with the military, provided certain preconditions were met, including the return of PTI’s “stolen mandate,” the release of detained party workers, and the conduct of transparent elections. He also urged the military to appoint their representatives for these talks.

Khan shared his prison experiences, including suffering food poisoning twice due to inadequate food storage facilities in his cell. He also criticized the new Toshakhana reference case involving him and his wife, Bushra Bibi, alleging it breaches the National Accountability Ordinance. Khan claimed to still possess the Graff watch at the center of the NAB reference and accused the NAB chairman, interior minister, and other officers of fabricating charges against him.

In a recent court update, the accountability court postponed the proceedings in the 190 million pounds Al-Qadir Trust corruption case until August 7 due to the absence of Khan’s counsel. The court has issued notices to the jail administration in response to Khan’s legal team’s request to allow him to speak with his children.