ISLAMABAD: The political committee of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vowed on Saturday to proceed with the party’s protest scheduled for Sunday (Nov 24), despite the government’s hectic efforts to delay the sit-in.
Federal Minister for Interior, Mohsin Naqvi literally beseeched the PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan to call off the protest, according to sources within the PTI. However, Gohar appeared equally constrained by similar pressures as Naqvi, and said: “I can’t do anything as the protest is being held on Imran Khan’s call.”
The sources said that Gohar conveyed the interior minister’s message to the party’s political committee; however, he was confronted by majority members and questioned: “Can you make any changes in the protest plan given by Imran Khan.”
According to the sources, a visibly helpless Gohar had nothing to say except supporting the participants who asserted that any changes in Imran Khan’s protest plan will not only be counterproductive but also a betrayal of his ideology.
The committee unanimously decided to proceed with the November 24 protest march onto Islamabad and vowed to reach federal capital despite all the hurdles and blockades, and warned that any lawmaker – if failed to make it to Islamabad – will have no place in the party as announced by Khan himself.
“The PTI’s peaceful protest movement will begin on Nov-24 (Sunday) and the party’s convoys from all cities of Pakistan will move towards Islamabad,” party said in its statement.
“The movement will be continued until it achieves its set targets,” party stated.
The PTI has demanded release of its arrested leaders, workers and the founder of the party. It has also demanded abrogation of the 26th Constitutional Amendment and restoration of the real mandate given in February 8 elections.
The political committee of the PTI also taken notice of the deteriorating economic situation and increasing incidents of terrorism.
The party committee vehemently criticized the government’s insensitive behavior towards seeking prompt solution of the critical issues, statement read.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued here, PTI central information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said that peaceful protest is “our fundamental and constitutional right.”
He said the nation remains steadfast in exercising its right to protest, despite ongoing threats, intimidation, troop deployments and the use of containers by the government.
Responding to information minister Atta Tarar’s remarks, he emphasized that the individuals and officials deployed to intimidate masses participating in PTI’s peaceful march should know that the people of this country have become fed up the puppet rulers and their handlers.
He lambasted the government for infringing upon the rights of the people by snatching their right to freedom, and protest, adding the incompetent mandate theft regime and its handlers have brought the country to a complete standstill by not allowing the masses to hold peaceful protests.
The PTI spokesman vehemently denounced the government’s overt threats and intimidation strategies directed at youth, traders, educators, students, transport operators, and government employees.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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