PTI holds rallies in various cities to mark May 9 anniversary

ISLAMABAD/ PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters on Thursday staged rallies in various cities of the country to call for the release of party founder Imran Khan, a judicial commission to probe the May 9, 2023 violence, and condemn the alleged theft of party mandate in the February 8 general elections.

The PTI had given a call for protest rallies to mark the Mary 9 violence anniversary.

In Karachi, the PTI workers tried to record their protest in Pir Ilahi Buksh Colony (PIB Colony) but the police dispersed the gathering and arrested six activists, including PTI local leader Jamal Siddique.

In Peshawar, the PTI held a rally at the historic Chowk Yadgaar. The party leaders and lawmakers addressed the rally, which was attended by party members and supporters, mostly youngsters.

The Islamabad police, earlier, sealed all the routes leading to the federal capital’s Red Zone area to stop the PTI rally.

In Sialkot, police briefly arrested PTI leader Rehana Imtiaz Dar, mother of Usman Dar, confirmed her son. Many PTI activists had gathered at Jinnah House, main office of the party in Sialkot, under the leadership of Rehana Dar. The police rushed to the spot and arrested Rehana Dar, Ruba Dar, Rizwan and some other party workers and put them in a police van. Later, they were released. DPO Hassan Iqbal said: “Rehana Dar and Ruba Dar were not arrested. Both women leaders are at their home.”

In Swat Valley, a rally was organised in Matta tehsil, with party supporters of the area participating in it. Similarly, a protest led by Provincial Minister Fazal Hakim took place in Mingora city.

In Jahangira, Nowshera and Pabbi tehsils, demonstrations were also staged. Jahangira Mayor Kamran Razzaq Khan led one rally, joined by MPA Idrees Khattak. In Pabbi, Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Mian Khaliqur Rehman Khattak headed the protest.

PTI activists also staged a demonstration in Kurram district and demanded the release of Imran Khan.

In Swabi, addressing a gathering at Captain Karnal Sher Khan Chowk, the PTI leaders said they were trapped on May 9, last year, under a well-planned strategy and were not against the national institutions or integrity of the country. The gathering was attended by Asad Qaiser, former speaker of the National Assembly, MNA Shahram Khan Tarakai, Aqibullah Khan, provincial ministers Faisal Khan Tarakai, education minister, adviser Abdul Karim, MPA Rangaiz Khan and others.

In Mardan, the party staged a rally at Bacha Khan Chowk, calling for the release of party’s founder. Atif Khan, the party president for the Peshawar region, MNA Ali Muhammad Khan and others led the rally.

Like other parts of the country, PTI workers in Charsadda district also staged a protest in front of the press club. Provincial Minister for Labour Fazal Shakoor Khan was leading the protest.

In Batkhela, the PTI supporters and activists staged rallies and demonstrations in support of their jailed leader. The party workers also staged rallies in Shangla and Puran and demanded immediate release of party jailed workers and leader Imran Khan. In Wana, South Waziristan, the PTI organised a public gathering at the Wana Bazar. In Muzaffarabad, the PTI supporters staged a demonstration at Azadi Chowk. The police, however, arrested several workers for violating Section 144 of the Constitution. PTI Muzaffarabad chapter President Azhar Gilani was also arrested. The supporters of the former ruling party also held a rally in Kotli District of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Meanwhile, the PTI condemned, what it called, detentions and brutal use of state power against the party’s workers protesting peacefully against the May 9 ‘false flag’ operation across the country. The PTI spokesperson lashed out at the government for “using blind force against PTI under the guise of false flag operation on May 9, 2023 to crush the party”, and said that they would continue their peaceful movement for upholding supremacy of Constitution and ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’ despite all the state oppression.

He also condemned the ‘attempt’ to arrest PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and arrests of party officials and workers from across the country. In another statement, the PTI spokesperson said that all the real characters and the nefarious motives behind the ‘false flag operation of May 9’ were clear before the nation but they remained still unpunished despite lapse of a year. “And this was because the actual planners were obstructing formation of an empowered judicial commission to use May 9 as a tool to perpetuate their dictatorship,” he said. In reaction to the ‘false propaganda’ campaign on the May 9 violence, he sought answers from the planners and orchestrators of May 9 about the untoward incidents.

Meanwhile, talking to a private TV channel, PTI MNA Sardar Latif Khosa reiterated PTI’s longstanding demand for a judicial inquiry into the events of May 9.