KARACHI: Challenging the impression that the army chief had “sought an apology over the May 9 riots”, the military’s spokesperson clarified on Thursday that Field Marshal Asim Munir did not make any political statements during a recent trip to Brussels.

The remarks come days after it was reported that the army chief was amenable to political reconciliation — apparently with the PTI – if a sincere apology was made.

In a column published on Aug 16, Suhail Warraich – a senior editor at the Jang newspaper – wrote that COAS Munir had spoken to him in person during a stopover in Brussels, on his way back from a recent trip to the US.

“On a question about politics, he (the army chief) said that political reconciliation is possible only if there is a sincere apology,” the column read, without specifying who the army chief was referring to or who the question was about.

“Neither did the army chief make any political statement in Brussels, nor did he mention any apology,” Geo News quoted Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director general Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry as telling reporters after an event in Islamabad on Thursday.

Refutes claims made in recent column; journalist refuses to comment on claim

The DG ISPR was further reported as saying that the army chief “did not say anything about the PTI”.

Lt-Gen Chaudhry asserted: “May 9 is not only the military’s case but the nation’s case. It is clear that those who carried out the May 9 [riots], their enablers and planners should be held accountable as per the law.”

“There were hundreds of people present at the Brussels event. Those attending the event had their pictures taken with the field marshal,” the DG ISPR noted.

When Dawn reached out to him, Mr Warraich said he had “no comment” on the issue.

Following the report about the army chief’s Brussels talk, the PTI had reiterated its demand for an em-powered judicial commission to probe the May 9 riots, the Nov 26 protest incident, and the 2024 elections.

Published in Dawn, August 22th, 2025