‘Do-or-die protest’: PTI announces giving ‘surprise’ to govt on 24th

ISLAMABAD: With the ruling coalition and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) devising their respective strategies in connection with the “do-or-die protest” in Islamabad, the latter on Monday announced giving surprise to the government on November 24.

Speaking on Geo News show “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath,” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s spokesperson and PTI leader Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said: “We will give them [federal government] a surprise, Inshallah.”

Last week, incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, who has been behind bars since August last year, gave a “final call” for a nationwide protest against the alleged rigging in the February 8 elections, arrests of party workers, and the passage of the 26th Amendment. He called on his supporters to march to Islamabad on the upcoming Sunday.

Barrister Saif accused the CM Maryam Nawaz-led government in Punjab of launching a crackdown against the party’s supporters and leaders ahead of the countrywide protests. “105 leaders and supporters of PTI have been arrested by the Punjab police.”

Referring to the alleged crackdown against his party workers in Punjab, the PTI leader said that they were certain that the government would use all “unconstitutional and illegal tactics” to fail their protest. “PTI supporters’ families are being harassed during raids at their houses in Punjab,” he alleged.

In addition to this, the Islamabad administration has imposed Section 144 for two months ahead of the potential PTI’s protest in the capital, citing security concerns. When asked how they will reach Islamabad amid the imposition of Section 144 and obstacles on the roads leading to the federal capital, the PTI leader said: “We have planned to counter these tactics. We will reach Islamabad and record our protest even if the government uses force against them.”

He further said that they were mobilising people and workers in an organised manner and “will adopt every strategy to reach Islamabad and record protest”. Barrister Saif slammed the federal government for adopting discriminatory behaviour towards the former ruling party, urging the people to support his party.

Responding to another question about tasks assigned to PTI lawmakers to bring thousands of workers to the federal capital, Barrister Saif termed it an “evaluation of performance” of the party leaders.

According to reports, the former premier’s wife, Bushra, instructed each PTI MNA and MPA to bring at least 10,000 and 5,000 workers, respectively, to Islamabad for the protest. They were also directed to share the videos of their caravans with the PTI leadership.

Reacting to the PTI’s announcement of bringing thousands of party supporters from each district, PMLN Senator Talal Chaudhry said there is no public transport in Faisalabad to bring 20,000 people.

He said the PTI’s nationwide protest call was not a political move like its past decisions. Chaudhry said the PTI’s protest call would not succeed due to the decisions taken by Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi.

He said the target set for PTI leaders to bring thousands of workers to the federal capital was not achievable. Meanwhile, speaking on the Geo News programme “Capital Talk,” PTI leader and senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa claimed: “Imran Khan will be released from jail 100 percent in November.”

“They [the rulers] will get another shock of their life,” he said, adding that the government would forget February 8, the day when general elections were held in the country and what the PTI claimed they won 180 seats, on November 24.

Khosa said the sea of people would sweep the government away. “Don’t ever underestimate the power of the people anywhere and don’t underestimate the power of the people of Pakistan,” he said.

Responding to a question about Khan’s release from prison, the PTI leader said that the “drop scene” would happen ahead of November 24. “If the establishment becomes neutral, this government cannot last even a single day,” claimed the PTI leader.