PTI vows not to back off from anti-govt movement despite police crackdown

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday refused to give up on its anti-government movement and vowed to expand it in a more energised way after several party leaders were arrested from Parliament House in an intense police crackdown in Islamabad a day ago.

"There should be no misunderstanding as people have stood up," said PTI leader Salman Akram Raja while addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Tuesday.

PTI leaders including Omar Ayub Khan, Asad Qaiser, Azam Swati, and Salman Akram Raja were also present at the presser held after the conclusion of the former ruling party's core committee meeting.

"Some people are influencing the country's political and democratic process," alleged Raja, adding that they would not back off and let anyone suppress the voice of Pakistanis.

Defending the PTI leaders' speeches in the Islamabad rally, the lawyer-cum-politician was of the view that political power show has a different environment.

The opposition party strongly condemned the lawmakers' arrests, including the detention of some MNAs from the parliament, in a police crackdown on its leadership in Islamabad launched on alleged violations of the public gathering law's violations.

At the beginning of the press conference, journalists protested over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur's remarks against the newsmen during his explosive speech in the PTI's Islamabad power show two days ago.

Journalists questioned why the KP chief executive was absent from the press conference for whom Omar had assured that he would tender an apology for his indecent remarks. Raja replied that CM Gandapur departed for an assembly session.

Addressing the press conference, Ayub, who is also the opposition Leader in the National Assembly, slammed the coalition government for using all tactics to stop his party's Islamabad public gathering.

He went on to say that the ruling parties in the coalition government levelled false allegations against the Imran-founded party and jailed its leaders.

Condemning the arrests of the PTI leaders in a police crackdown yesterday, Ayub termed September 9 a "black day" and claimed that "masked whisked away several party leaders" besides arresting MNA Sher Afzal Marwat and Shoaib Shaheen.

PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser, in the press conference, announced that his party will fight for its rights on the streets besides continuing its legal battle in the courts. He demanded the release of PTI founder Imran Khan and other party inmates.

The former National Assembly speaker also demanded fresh elections in the country and termed the incumbent government "illegitimate".

He suggested that contempt of court cases should be filed against the Islamabad police chief and commissioner as they placed obstacles along the rally in the federal capital.

Earlier today, the former ruling party convened its core committee's session at the CM House, Peshawar, which central leaders, including KP CM Gandapur attended.

The PTI's core committee decided to launch nationwide protests from Friday, sources told Geo News, adding that the party lawmakers will also take up the matter of the PTI leaders' arrest on the assembly floor.

Meanwhile, PTI chief Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who among other party lawmakers was arrested in yesterday's crackdown, was released by the Islamabad police as a case against him was discharged.

The PTI lawmakers have been accused of attacking police officials and violating regulations devised under a new law —Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024, during the much-hyped Islamabad public gathering two days ago.

The police had filed cases against the PTI leaders under the newly-enacted law, at the Noon Village and Sangjani police stations.

The arrests of the PTI lawmakers from Parliament House drew the ire of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq who earlier today reprimanded the Islamabad Inspector General (IG) of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and demanded their immediate release.

The speaker also summoned CCTV footages of all entry points of the parliament and signalled to file a case against those who were involved in the lawmakers' arrest besides vowing no compromise would be made on parliament's dignity.