Imran to give final protest call this month: KP CM

SWABI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan would give the final call for protest in the current month and party workers should get ready to achieve the goal of release of incarcerated party founder.

“I am conveying the message of Imran Khan that this will be the last protest. The leaders and workers must tell their families that they will return only after securing the release of Imran Khan who has been languishing in jail on trumpeted charges,” he told a huge public gathering here.

Citing his recent meeting with the incarcerated former prime minister, the chief minister said that he told him that he would give a protest call for his release in November and the workers should start their preparations.

The KP chief minister took oath from the participants of the gathering that they would not go back home till the release of Imran Khan and the same oath was taken from other leaders and workers as well. He also warned the federal government of serious consequences if it did not stop “atrocities” against the party leaders and workers.

Gandapur urged the workers to get ready to render “the ultimate sacrifice” for the release of Imran Khan, saying that all their peace overtures were not given due heed by the Form-47 government.

“Our peaceful overtures must not be construed as our weakness,” he said, adding, they would not tolerate sending of their leaders behind bars on false charges.

“We want justice, always remain peaceful and have rendered tremendous sacrifices for the people’s welfare. Those stealing PTI’s mandate are ruling the country which is not acceptable to us,” he went on to add. He said that there was no option left with them. “The whole nation is looking towards the PTI workers. We have to come out with force to snatch our rights and make Imran Khan free,” he added.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, in his speech, said that the recent amendments would be challenged in the Supreme Court soon. He said the 26th Constitutional Amendment had bulldozed the independence of judiciary, destroying the hope that people would get justice.

Umar Ayub said the announcement of KP chief minister should be followed in letter and spirit by PTI workers. He said: “Today we have to pledge that the directives given to Ali Amin Gandapur will be upheld.”

Party leaders Asad Qaiser, Hammad Azhar, PTI’s Punjab president Sheikh Waqas Akram, MNA Zartaj Gul and MNA Shahram Khan Tarakai also spoke on the occasion. Strict security arrangements had been made for the rally.

A PTI worker was also seen carrying the US flag in the rally which attracted people’s attention.