Imran Khan's PTI denies involvement in violent clashes

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) denied any involvement in the violent protests that erupted after the arrest of its chief Imran Khan

Pakistan's main opposition party on Thursday denied any involvement in the violent protests that erupted after the arrest of its chief Imran Khan, describing the army's terse statement as "contrary to facts” and "based on a poor understanding of ground realities."

In a statement shared on Twitter, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said it believes in achieving its goals by remaining peaceful, non-violent and adhering to the Constitution.

"PTI has always discouraged deviance from the Constitution and law. The public reaction after the arrest of Imran Khan is connected to many factors," it said.

"The statement is a sad collection of hatred and revenge-based narratives against the most reliable, popular and largest political party of Pakistan,” the party said.

It said the statement issued on Wednesday by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Army's media wing, was "contrary to facts” and “based on a poor understanding of ground realities,” the Dawn newspaper reported.

PTI's rebuttal comes a day after the Pakistan Army on Wednesday warned former prime minister Khan's supporters of "severe retaliation" in the wake of attacks on its installations.

Enraged over the arrest of their leader in a corruption case on Tuesday, the supporters of the PTI chief stormed the General Headquarters of the Army. They set the residence of the Lahore Corps Commander on fire while attacking military vehicles and installations.