SCO summit: Barrister Saif receives flak for 'inviting' Indian FM to address PTI protesters

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif's statement to invite Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to address PTI protesters in Pakistan during his upcoming visit to Pakistan for a SCO summit has invited the ire of ruling party leaders.  

The KP government’s high-up gave the statement as the workers from the former ruling party continue their march towards Islamabad despite the imposition of Section 144 by the authorities.

"We will invite Jaishankar to attend our protest, address our people and see [for himself] how strong our democracy that allows everyone to [exercise their fundamental right] to protest," said Barrister Saif while speaking on Geo News' programme "Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath" on Friday.

The KP CM's adviser's remarks come amid ongoing clashes between the former ruling party's workers as they attempt to enter Islamabad against the backdrop of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Council of Heads of Government (SCO-CHG) meeting which is set to be attended by the Indian dignitary and others from October 15 to 16 in the federal capital.

In light of the all-important event, the federal government along with the Punjab government has called in the army in Islamabad and the province with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warning the KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur against compelling them to take extreme measures.

As the roads are blocked with containers at several points, dozens of PTI workers have been arrested as law enforcers attempt to thwart the march towards Islamabad's D-Chowk for a protest which has significantly increased the political temperature in the country with the prospects of becoming a flashpoint for further unrest.

Speaking on the programme, Barrister Saif underscored that the country's Constitution gave the right to hold demonstrations.

Addressing the fears of violence, he said that CM Gandapur would reach D-Chowk and offer tea to Interior Minister Naqvi and warned that the government would bear the responsibility if anything bad happened.

Ruling out the prospects of a clash between party workers and the army troops, the KP government's spokesperson said: "Why will we fight with the army, we have no quarrel with them, we respect them, and I am sure they will respect their Constitution and nation."

"We will present a bouquet of flowers to the army personnel," he added.

Ministers slam Saif's remarks as Gohar offers clarification

Barrister Saif's remarks, however, drew the government's ire with Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif censuring the Imran Khan-founded party for using the head of a province to attack another province and inviting the Indian FM to its protest.

"Inviting Indian FM to address [its workers] raises questions on the PTI's credibility [itself]," said the defence minister.

Alleging that armed groups were heading towards the federal capital which also included hundreds of Afghans, Asif said: "The TTP are a sub-organisation of the PTI who were resettled here from Afghanistan," said the defence minister."

"What kind of a response can the government now give to them in these circumstances," he questioned.

Their loyalty is conditional to power, noted the politician.

Similarly, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui pointed out that the PTI only invited the Indian FM and no other dignitary to address their protest.

"Out of all the leaders, PTI invited only the Indian FM. It would be better if the PTI takes Jaishankar to more than 200 defence installations and destroyed monuments of martyrs," he said while referring to the May 9 riots.

Echoing Siddiqui's concerns, Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said that the PTI's narrative is anti-state and questioned why Barrister Saif only invited the Indian dignitary.