Punjab Information Minister Uzma Bukhari has criticized former Prime Minister Imran Khan for his offer of a conditional apology, calling him the “mastermind behind the failed May 9 insurrection.”
In a statement made on Thursday, Bukhari condemned Khan for what she described as systematic incitement and brainwashing over the past year.
Bukhari explained that Khan’s arrest on May 9 led to unrest when his associates alarmed supporters with claims that Khan’s life was in danger. This, she said, prompted widespread demonstrations.
She also highlighted that Khan had previously warned that his supporters would react strongly to any further arrest, and international media had reported attacks on military installations by PTI members.
Bukhari accused Khan of seeking a conditional apology despite being responsible for the insurrection. “On one hand, he burns the house of Pakistan’s founder, and on the other, he shamelessly seeks a conditional apology,” she stated.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) also weighed in, asserting that terrorism cannot be excused with an apology. She emphasized that while apologies are for mistakes, crimes such as attacking one’s own country must be met with punishment.
