ISLAMABAD: Opposition alliance Tehreek Tahaffuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) and PTI on Tuesday announced countrywide protests on Friday against Imran Khan’s imprisonment, rising inflation and other issues.
The announcement was made by senior PTI leaders during a press conference held out the Parliament House after a parliamentary party meeting.
The press conference was addressed by former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser and PTI parliamentary leader Shahid Khattak.
Addressing the media, Qaiser said the entire party and the people of Pakistan were deeply concerned about the health of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.
He said that the parliamentary party had unanimously endorsed the decisions taken at yesterday’s summit of the TTAP.
“Protests will be held across the country on Friday against inflation, the increase in petroleum prices, concerns over the health of PTI founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, demands for their transfer to hospital, the release of political prisoners, and the restoration of fundamental human rights,” he said.
Qaiser said the party paid tribute to all political leaders and workers who were imprisoned or subjected to political victimisation during the struggle for democracy.
He alleged that elected representatives had been disqualified and politically motivated sentences handed down.
“If the same attitude towards the opposition continues in parliament, the opposition will not allow the House to function,” he warned.
The former NA speaker added that the party had also decided to stage protests during parliamentary sessions.
Qaiser said the upcoming budget would prove to be an “anti-poor budget” as the government was preparing to impose further taxes while the public was already facing severe economic pressure.
“Hopes for justice in the country are fading and fundamental human rights are being denied.”
The senior PTI leader added that the party demanded Imran Khan’s cases be heard on merit, and maintained that if they were heard transparently, he would not remain in jail even for a moment.
He also criticised the government’s domestic and foreign policies, saying, “Terrorism is increasing in the country due to wrong policies, while diplomatic relations with Afghanistan are not being handled properly.”
He added that business activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were suffering and the public was facing hardships.
The PTI leader demanded that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi be immediately shifted to the hospital in accordance with jail rules, that meetings be allowed, that the petroleum levy be withdrawn, electricity and gas load-shedding be ended, and that restrictions on the transportation of wheat and flour from Punjab be removed.
Meanwhile, Khattak, while addressing the press conference, said facts related to the cipher issue had now emerged in international media, proving PTI’s stance correct.
“A democratic government was removed through a cipher, which caused severe damage to the country,” he claimed.
Calling the government “incompetent,” he said it should apologise to the public and claimed that those responsible for the alleged rigging through Form 47 would be held accountable.
“We will go to the court of the people on Friday and I invite people from across the country to participate in the protests,” Khattak said.
He said the increase in petroleum prices was not only PTI’s issue but a matter concerning the entire nation, while the party leadership and thousands of workers in Punjab were in prison.
He also appealed to the public to participate fully in Friday’s protest so that the public voice could be raised effectively.
Meanwhile, the TTAP, through a press release, announced nationwide protests on Friday.
According to the press release, an important meeting of TTAP leaders was held on Monday under the chairmanship of Mehmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.
The meeting was attended by Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and other leaders of the alliance.
Senior lawyer and prominent politician Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan also attended the meeting, the release said.
“Detailed discussions were held on the overall situation in the country and the region, while serious concern was expressed over the deteriorating economic conditions in the country,” the release said.
The participants said the government had “completely failed” in governance, maintaining law and order, and controlling inflation and unemployment, it added.
“The participants said 18-hour electricity load-shedding is continuing in the country, farmers are facing severe difficulties, labourers have no support, and the salaried class is bearing the entire burden, with their economic destruction continuously increasing,” it said.
Per the press release, the meeting said the upcoming budget would be an IMF budget that would place an additional economic burden on the people.
The meeting strongly condemned the “unconstitutional and illegal treatment” of opposition parties in the country, including PTI.
“Participants paid tribute to all political prisoners, including Imran, who they said were making sacrifices for democracy and the supremacy of the Constitution in the country,” the release said.
Expressing serious concern over reports regarding Imran’s health, the meeting demanded that he be immediately shifted to a hospital and that his family members and political associates be allowed to meet him.
“The meeting condemned the inhumane treatment of political prisoners in jails and demanded the immediate release of all political detainees.
“It also demanded the release of Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Dr Mahrang Baloch, Ali Wazir, and all other detained leaders,” it said.
The participants stressed the protection of the constitutional rights of the provinces and said that the supremacy of the Constitution and democracy was essential to steer the country out of the crises it was facing.
“The TTAP leadership decided to hold nationwide protests on Friday against soaring inflation, the massive increase in petroleum prices, the prevailing lawlessness in the country, the demand for immediate transfer of Imran to a hospital, and the release of political prisoners,” the release said.
In this regard, it added that the protest demonstrations would be held at all district headquarters across the country on Friday.
“The meeting stated that legislation through what it called a fake assembly formed on the basis of Form 47 was an illegal act and that the country was currently facing one of the worst crises in its history.”
The participants reaffirmed their resolve to continue the struggle at every level for the protection of the Constitution, democracy, and the rights of the people, the release said.
