Authorities to get 'free hand' to crackdown on PTI over 'do-or-die' call: Sanaullah

Adviser to Prime Minister on Political And Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Monday warned that the law enforcers would get a 'free hand' to crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over its "do-or-die" protest call to ensure release of party founder Imran Khan.

“When they [PTI] speak about wearing shrouds, funeral prayers [...] they are giving a free hand to law enforcers to launch a crackdown against them,” he said while speaking at Geo News programme 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath'.

He lambasted the PTI founder for "mistreating" his party workers and supporters by giving "do-or-die-call". Instead of threatening to march towards Islamabad and not return, the PML-N leader said, the PTI should ask to hold a "democratic and peaceful" protest or rally for the fulfilment of its demands.

In response to a question, Sanaullah said the "monopoly on violence" belongs to the state and not to any group or political party. “When someone threatens to march with shrouds tied, should they be welcomed?”

“We [PML-N] never talked about sit-ins or staging violence in our protest,” he said, noting that the jailed PTI founder wanted the opposition to be eliminated through the establishment.

He claimed that Imran’s differences with former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa began when he demanded the elimination of the opposition. “When Bajwa did not cooperate, so he started calling him Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq,” he added.

Sanaullah further said that Imran has no choice expect getting rid of "will-not-spare-anyone" policy. “His [PTI founder] stubbornness led himself and the country to trouble.”

The statement came as the PTI has announced giving a final protest call against the incumbent rulers, warning that the demonstration will not end the until the fulfilment of their demands which include the release of party founder Imran Khan and the "restoration of judicial independence".

Last week, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur vowed to secure release of PTI founder Imran Khan, saying that they are even ready to “sacrifice their lives” for this purpose.

“Even if our lives are lost, we will not rest until the release of PTI founder,” he roared at a public gathering organised by the PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swabi.

“There is no freedom without sacrifice,” he said, adding that they had to give sacrifice for “true freedom”.

Referring to the PTI’s potential march on Islamabad, Gandapur had said: “We will not return until the release of the PTI founder.” The CM said that they would fight but would not go back home.

It is pertinent to mention here that Khan was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore soon after being convicted in the Toshakhana case in August last year and since then he has been behind bars in multiple cases.

Currently, he is imprisoned under better-class (B-class) facilities with high security due to his status as a former premier in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. Earlier, he was kept in Attock Jail.

He is facing several cases, including the £190 million reference and the new Toshakhana case.