PTI did not call for immediate protests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — Dawn
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said it had not called for immediate protests in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after a state of emergency and governor’s rule were imposed there. According to party representatives, the decision was made to protect activists from possible violence and further arrests, Dawn reports.
PTI explained decision by activists’ safety
Ali Asghar Khan, the general secretary of PTI’s provincial chapter, said that the absence of a call for immediate action did not mean abandoning the political struggle. He stressed that the party considers peaceful protest its right, but its timing and format must be determined within a joint national strategy.
According to him, consultations with district and regional chapters, lawmakers, activists, and representatives of the Insaf Lawyers Forum resulted in a decision not to hold spontaneous or individual protests until an official program is announced. Khan explained that the party seeks to avoid provocations and incidents for which its supporters could be held responsible.
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Call for a joint strategy
The party official also mentioned a protest in Bara, in Khyber district. According to him, several PTI supporters were injured as a result of police gunfire. Activists and lawmakers who asked about holding rallies were advised to wait for party instructions.
Among its goals, PTI named the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other political prisoners, the lifting of the state of emergency and governor’s rule, and the restoration of the elected provincial government. Khan said that the central leadership is in contact with other political forces and supports holding an inter-party conference as soon as possible to coordinate further political and constitutional steps.
PTI deputy information secretary Ikram Khattana told Dawn that participants in the party’s protests were unarmed, while the people who stopped the rallies had weapons. He said the party does not want its activists to be harmed.
