The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has reaffirmed its commitment to continue its nationwide protests, even after a police crackdown at Parliament House late Monday night, which led to the arrest of several PTI leaders. The party’s resolve was declared during a press conference in Peshawar on Tuesday, where PTI leadership expressed defiance in the face of the recent arrests.
Leading the press conference, PTI leader Salman Akram Raja boldly stated, “There should be no misunderstanding – the people have risen.” Accompanied by senior party figures such as Omar Ayub, Asad Qaiser, and Azam Swati, Raja conveyed the decisions made during the party’s core committee meeting held earlier that day. He accused various factions of attempting to manipulate Pakistan’s political and democratic systems but vowed that the PTI would not back down from defending the voice of the people.
Raja also addressed the recent Islamabad rally, defending the speeches made by PTI leaders and emphasizing that the gathering was unlike typical political events. He criticized the government for labeling the speeches as inflammatory, arguing that they represented the sentiments of a frustrated public.
The PTI leaders condemned the arrests of their lawmakers and officials, claiming that these actions were carried out under the pretense of violations of public assembly laws. In Islamabad, several Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) were detained during the crackdown, which the party labeled as an attempt to stifle political dissent.
Tensions between PTI and the media were also apparent during the press conference. Journalists staged a protest at the start, demanding an apology for derogatory remarks made by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur during a PTI rally in Islamabad. The journalists questioned Gandapur’s absence from the press briefing, despite earlier promises from PTI that he would apologize. Raja explained that Gandapur was attending a session in the assembly and would address the matter later.
Omar Ayub, the opposition leader in the National Assembly, also spoke during the conference. He accused the ruling coalition of hindering PTI’s rally in Islamabad and fabricating accusations against the party. Referring to the arrests made on September 9, Ayub called it a “black day” and claimed that masked individuals had abducted key PTI figures, including MNA Sher Afzal Marwat and lawyer Shoaib Shaheen.
Asad Qaiser, another senior PTI leader, announced that the party would continue its street protests and pursue legal action in court. He called for the immediate release of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other detained members. Additionally, Qaiser demanded fresh elections, asserting that the current government lacked legitimacy. He also suggested filing contempt of court charges against Islamabad’s police chief and commissioner for creating barriers to PTI’s rally.
The PTI’s core committee had met earlier at the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar, with Gandapur and other key members present. Sources within the party revealed that PTI plans to launch nationwide protests starting Friday, while its lawmakers will bring up the issue of their leaders’ arrests in the National Assembly.
The PTI remains determined to push forward with its protests, both on the streets and in the courts, as it seeks to challenge the government’s crackdown on its activities.
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