Pakistan’s opposition party PTI will go ahead with its planned September 27 protest demanding the release of its founder Imran Khan “at all costs”, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said on Monday.
Afridi said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would announce its detailed protest plan on September 25 and mobilise workers across the country.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, speaking to reporters in Lahore on Monday, warned that the government would not allow the September 27 protest to disrupt Islamabad.
Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, Afridi said arrests of PTI provincial ministers and lawmakers had begun ahead of the protest, prompting an emergency meeting of the party’s parliamentary group. Afridi said the party had pursued “all constitutional and democratic avenues” but was being prevented from meeting Khan despite court orders. He said PTI had no intention of confrontation and would pursue its demands through peaceful and democratic means. He said his government had exhausted all constitutional and political options and decided to launch a long march after receiving no response. He said preparations were under way for an “assault” and that this time the government would not allow the capital to be shut down.
” Earlier reporting noted: He also referred to an Islamabad high court order directing the federal government to ensure peace in the capital and claimed that a majority of PTI leaders did not support the planned protest. Earlier reporting noted: ‘PTI’s drama will never achieve anything’: Pak minister Naqvi warns Imran Khan’s party ahead of Islamabad march Mohsin Naqvi warns Imran Khan’s PTI Earlier reporting noted: Pakistan interior minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday warned jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ahead of the party’s planned protest in Islamabad, saying it “can never achieve anything through such drama.
