Shroud-clad protesters to topple 'Form 47' govt as PTI readies for decisive agitation: Gandapur

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced on Saturday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters will hold a power show in Swabi on November 9 instead of Peshawar in which the party's final protest call will be unveiled to oust the incumbent government.

Gandapur made the announcement while addressing a press conference outside Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail after meeting PTI founder Imran Khan, saying that they were done being peaceful which resulted in torture and arrest of the PTI workers despite not responding to the harsh actions of the authorities.

Condemning the alleged "ill-treatment" of the PTI founder in Adiala Jail, the KP CM warned that such attitude towards the former prime minister would not be tolerated.

"We have devised a plan and started working on it. We are ready for a final call to get rid of this Form 47 government," he announced, adding that shroud-clad PTI leaders and workers would take to streets this time to topple the current rulers.

The KP chief executive said that Swabi power show would be preliminary stage of the PTI's protest movement in which the leadership would announce its next strategy, assign duties, and preparations for the "final call".

He clarified that his party has not deferred its planned power show but it was moved to another venue from Peshawar to Swabi.

Gandapur dodged question regarding his role in Bushra Bibi's release, saying that he would have told everything had he played a role in the former first lady's release.

He also dispelled the rumours of PTI's deal with the coalition government or establishment, urging the PTI workers not to pay attention to speculations as the rulers would always try to confuse them.

He asked the party workers to stay focused on the anti-government movement.

Referring to criticism against him on his mysterious absence from the Islamabad's D-Chowk protest, Gandapur also rejected allegations of backing off from PTI's previous demonstrations leaving behind the workers.

He clarified that he has always reached the protest venues and proved it that they could reach everywhere despite hurdles.

He further said that many people don't know the reality that law enforcers had broken his vehicle and took away his belongings including mobile phone which were never returned to him so far.

The chief minister claimed that they would find nothing in his mobile phone as its data was deleted by him.

He asserted that his party would not end protest against the current rulers despite facing adverse action until it gets back the "stolen mandate" and restores supremacy of law and Constitution in the country.

The major announcement for a protest movement came after a series of demonstrations and power shows led by the major opposition party to mount pressure on the incumbent government to step back from the judiciary-centric constitutional tweaks.

Prior to Gandapur's announcement, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja had unveiled a plan to launch a nationwide protest movement against the 26th Constitutional Amendment focused on judicial reforms, terming it an “attack on the Constitution of Pakistan and the judiciary”.

Earlier this month, the embattled opposition party had announced a protest at D-Chowk protest for October 15, however, its political committee deferred it due to the two-day SCO summit in Islamabad.