ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a protest call for November 24 (Sunday) in the capital. The party is said to have finalised the protest plan with nearly 10,000 workers having already arrived in Islamabad.
Senior leadership of PTI has instructed the local office-bearers and members of the national and provincial assemblies to ensure participation from their respective constituencies. According to insider sources, the party workers have been given instructions to stay at undisclosed locations until Sunday.
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According to some news platforms, PTI workers will be arriving in the capital through Haripur, Murree, and Fateh Jang routes. PTI Spokesman Barrister Saif has also issued a statement saying that the party has made plans on removing any obstacles in the way of the caravans. He has ‘warned’ the government to refrain from erecting any barriers, saying that in the past PTI workers have been able to remove them and reach Islamabad.
PTI Peshawar President Irfan Saleem has told media that the party is aiming to bring 65,000 protestors from 13 constituencies of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and five constituencies from the National Assembly. Counsel of PTI founder and former chairman Imran Khan, Faisal Chaudhry has said that the protests will not be limited to the capital, but will be held throughout the country.
The opposition party is demanding the repeal of the 26th constitutional amendment, and release of their political prisoners including Imran Khan.
GOVERNMENT CALLS THE CAVALRY
Meanwhile the government has also reportedly finalised its strategy to deal with the PTI protestors, starting with the heavy deployment of the Frontier Constabulary (FC), Rangers and police force.
The capital city police have sought 9,000 personnel of Rangers and FC with full anti-riot kits, who will be deployed starting Friday, November 22. A contingent of 5,000 Rangers officers and 4,000 FC officers will be taken on board by the Islamabad Police.
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The Ministry of Interior has also reportedly reached out to the agencies in this regard.
As of now, Section 144 has been imposed for two months, starting Monday (November 18). All public gatherings of five or more people have been barred in the capital, including rallies, processions and protests.
The authorities have said that Section 144 has been imposed to ensure security and to prevent any disruption to public law and order.
BARBS TRADED
Amidst this clash of strategies, members of the government and the opposition continue to trade barbs as well. PTI Spokesperson said that the protestors will not leave Islamabad until their demands are met and Imran Khan is released.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has said that PTI is waging ‘jihad’ against the ‘fascism of the government’. He said that the protest will be ‘final and decisive’ and the party ‘will not back down under any circumstances’.
Ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) leader Talal Chaudhry has responded to these statements, saying that this protest will not be final, rather it will be the ‘final nail in the coffin’ of PTI. Talking to a private TV channel, he said that there is not enough transportation available to bring as many people as the PTI is claiming.
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Alluding to the previous reports of disagreements between Imran Khan’s wife – Bushra Bibi – and sisters – Aleema and Uzma Khan – Talal said that this protest will be consumed by the clash between the sisters-in-law and the government will not have to do anything.
He said that no one will be allowed to inflict damage upon Pakistan and those who have tried to harm the country will be punished.