PTI seeks judicial inquiry into May 9 events, Nov 26 crackdown.
Omar Ayub says PTI ready to talk to every stakeholder.
Issues should be resolved through dialogue, says Shibli Faraz.
As tensions rise between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the government following the apparent failure of “do-or-die” protest, the former ruling party has vowed to pursue a civil disobedience movement if its demands, which include the release of “political prisoners”, are not met.
“Release our workers and a judicial inquiry should be launched in May 9 events and the late-night crackdown on protesters on November 26,” Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub said while addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Sunday.
Last week, incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan — in a post on X — warned the government of launching a “civil disobedience” movement from December 14 if his demands are not met.
The ousted prime minister also constituted 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.
Addressing the presser today, Omar said that the committee was ready to hold talks with every stakeholder in the country.
He castigated the government for allegedly using live ammunition against the “peaceful protesters”, saying that 12 PTI workers were killed during the protest. “Over 200 workers are still missing while more than 5,000 were arrested,” he claimed.
Issues should be resolved through dialogue: Shibli
For his part, Opposition Leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz claimed that the PTI’s mandate was stolen in the February 8 general elections. “Issues should be resolved through dialogue,” he said while condemning the government’s “use of force”.
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 the 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 a policeman were martyred during the protest.
‘Bound to fall’
The federal government has strongly reacted to Imran Khan’s civil disobedience’s call, with ruling leaders saying that the PTI’s new strategy is destined to fail just like its “previous attacks on Islamabad”.
“Civil disobedience [movement] becomes successful when the people are not dependent on the state,” said Defence Minister Khawaja Asif while speaking to Geo News, adding that the state is providing all facilities to the nationals.
He was of the view that such movements had made impacts during the British era and said: “Whoever tabled this suggestion to the PTI is seemingly unaware of history.”
Meanwhile, PM’s aide Rana Sanaullah also predicted that the former ruling party would fail to achieve its desired goals and ruled out holding “conditional talks” with the opposition party.
“We haven’t shut the door on negotiations,” said Sanaullah speaking on Geo News programme “Naya Pakistan”, adding that they are ready for political talks with the PTI to resolve dispute on contentious matters.
He predicted that the opposition party’s civil disobedience call is bound to fall flat as the party suffered an “irreparable political loss” following the Islamabad protest fiasco.