Demands access to PTI founder; condemns police action against party leaders, workers and Imran’s family members
ISLAMABAD:
An alliance of opposition parties, the Tehreek Tahaffuz Ain-e-Pakistan (TTAP), will hold a consultative conference in Islamabad on December 20-21 to discuss the political climate, constitutional issues and restrictions on visitors to meet imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan.
Opposition parties, bar councils and human rights organizations will be invited to the conference.
TTAP leaders made the announcement after an emergency meeting of the alliance called for police action against PTI leaders, workers and Imran Khan’s family members outside Adiala jail in Rawalpindi in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Authorities reportedly used water cannons to disperse protesters, including Imran Khan’s sisters, who staged a sit-in outside Adiala prison after being denied a meeting with the ex-prime minister.
In a post on
“This brutal crackdown on a peaceful sit-in violates basic human rights and freedom of assembly in freezing weather! He also shared a video of a water cannon being used as people, bundled up against the cold, fled the scene.
The meeting, chaired by TTAP leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai, condemned the police action, calling it a violation of court orders on visitation rights. He demanded that the government restore Imran Khan’s access to meetings before talks could take place.
Addressing a joint press conference later, Achakzai said the government’s treatment of PTI leaders, supporters and Imran’s family members showed that the Constitution was no longer working.
He said if the government intended to engage in dialogue with the opposition, it must first restore access to the PTI founder. “When public anger erupts, nothing stays under control,” he warned.
PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said PTI remained in parliament despite electoral mandate issues but threats and confrontations had increased.
PTI Chairman Barr Gohar has reiterated his party’s allegations that their “mandate was stolen” in the last general elections.
“We didn’t have a sit-in at the time […] We have sat in Parliament, confident that our voices will be heard and a solution to our and the people’s difficulties will be found,” he said, adding that there had been multiple confrontations over the past two years.
But, he continued, “at some point, common sense should prevail.”
Apparently referring to the bar during meetings with incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, he added: “If you keep the parents in jail, […] how can children sit with you? And if you don’t understand that, then probably the audience will make you understand. »
He again stressed that the use of force would not achieve any results. “Common sense must prevail.”
Without naming anyone, he said: “If you want to create distance between [Imran] Khan and the people, this is not possible. ” In this regard, he also claimed that Imran had the support of at least 70 percent of the country’s population.
“Do not irritate the people of Pakistan,” he warned, adding that “we have not done anything in violation of the Constitution.”
He stressed that meetings with Imran should be allowed, pointing out that the High Court had also passed an order directing that meetings with the former prime minister be allowed.
“If you create obstacles [in this regard]so we don’t know what your intentions are. But if you get a response from the other side, the country and democracy will suffer a loss,” he warned, adding that the government did not want the PTI in Parliament.
He also addressed the media earlier in the day, opposing the resolution passed by the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday.
The government, he said, was trying to “pit the federating units against each other.”
“You are isolating a major political party. Does removing it from due process save democracy?” » asked the PTI chairman.
He criticized the suspension of meetings with Imran based on PTI’s social media posts, questioning why people were not allowed to meet even Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi, who is also detained in the same facility.
PTI’s Asad Qaiser noted that the incident showed that there was no government in the country and only fascism reigned supreme. He demanded a judicial inquiry into the Adiala incident.
PTI’s Aamir Dogar also condemned the police action, alleging that they used water mixed with chemicals on the PTI lawmakers. He said a motion of privilege would be tabled in Parliament. Junaid Akbar Khan also spoke on the occasion and questioned the rationale behind restricting visits to social media posts.
The PTI, he said, was also deprived of electoral symbols and reserved seats and that such oppressive measures increase public resentment and damage institutional credibility.
Earlier, a PTI statement called the incident “state-sponsored violence” and claimed that peaceful supporters – including women – were targeted with excessive force.
The party claimed that media crews were pushed back to prevent coverage and that several workers were injured. Speaking in Parliament earlier, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan warned that the ongoing restrictions could escalate tensions.
