PTI workers won't respond to call from Imran Khan's wife or sisters: Marwat

Days after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced holding a "do-or-die" protest in Islamabad, party leader Sher Afzal Marwat has raised doubts on the PTI founder Imran Khan's protest call, saying that the party workers will only respond to the former prime minister's directions, instead of those issued by his wife or sisters.

Expressing his views on on Geo News’ programme "Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath", the firebrand PTI lawmaker maintained that he wishes to play a role in the upcoming protest in Islamabad.

However, lamenting that that he was not invited to a recent party meeting in Peshawar, the lawmaker claimed that he learned that discussions about him also took place during the said meeting.

Marwat's remarks came after Imran's sister Aleema Khan and lawyer Faisal Chaudhry revealed that the incarcerated prime minister had called for a protest on November 24 in Islamabad — a move which several PTI leaders fear might backfire, according to party sources.

The former ruling party, for months, has been engaged in a political tug-of-war with the ruling coalition — which it alleges came into power fraudulently — and has held protests in the federal capital on multiple occasions.

In September, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan along with several party lawmakers were arrested over the alleged violation of the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024 in light of a party's public rally in the federal capital.

The workers of the Imran-founded party once again marched to Islamabad in October which even saw Islamabad Police raiding the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) House — a situation further compounded after KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur went "incommunicado".

Underscoring that the PTI founder had remained steadfast in his belief that dynastic politics was harmful to democracy, Marwat highlighted organisational challenges for the upcoming protest of the party and remarked: "If a protest strategy is not finalised within two days, it might be difficult for us to stage a full-scale sit-in."

He said that people from KP would show up for the protest in Islamabad, adding: "The question is how will we hold ground at D-Chowk?"

Marwat's doubts come after PTI sources told The News that most of the party’s senior leaders, who were members of the parliament or were in the KP government, did not support Imran's call for holding an all-out protest.

Instead, they warn that it will cause more problems for the party. It is said firstly the government would not allow such a protest and may counter it with state power as has been done in the past.

There will be more arrests and more registration of cases against the party leaders and workers.

The party, which has been embattled in a plethora of legal and political challenges for quite some time now, faced another controversy when reports emerged suggesting that Imran's wife, Bushra, had formally joined politics, had issued instructions to party leaders and had even summoned a meeting.

The reports, however, have since been categorically denied by party lawyer Chaudhry.

"She [Bushra] is neither joining politics nor will she in future," said the advocate while quoting the PTI founder.