Imran demands release of political prisoners facing trial.
5-member PTI committee formed to hold talks with govt.
PTI founder urges SC to “play its constitutional role.”
Following the apparent failure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) “do-or-die” protest, incarcerated party founder Imran Khan has warned the government of launching a “civil disobedience” movement if his demands, including the judicial probe into the crackdown on party supporters, are not met.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Imran — who has claimed to have a “trump card” — announced the constitution of a five-member negotiation committee comprising Omar Ayub Khan, Ali Amin Gandapur, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Salman Akram Raja and Asad Qaiser.
The committee, he said, would negotiate with the federal government on two points — the release of “political prisoners” facing trial and the constitution of a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9, 2023 and a late-night crackdown on PTI protesters on November 26.
“If these two demands are not accepted, a civil disobedience movement will be launched from December 14,” the jailed premier said, adding that the government would be responsible for the results of this movement.
The former ruling party’s much-hyped protest in Islamabad, aimed at securing the PTI founder’s release who has been behind bars for more than a year, culminated in party’s hasty retreat after the government’s midnight crackdown on the protesters.
The Imran-founded party has since claimed that at least 12 of its workers were killed and 1,000 were arrested. However, the government has categorically denied using live ammunition against the protesters and said that four law enforcers including three Rangers personnel and policeman were martyred during the protest.
Furthermore, Imran — in his message today — also announced a “grand gathering” in Peshawar on December 13 to “pay homage to the martyrs” that, according to him, were killed during the PTI’s Islamabad protest.
He claimed that hunderds of PTI workers were “still missing,” urging the Supreme Court to take notice of the incidents and “play its constitutional role.”
“We approached the Supreme Court, Lahore and Islamabad high courts over serious violations of human rights, but no action was taken,” he added.