LAHORE: 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 yesterday announced giving surprise to the government on November 24.

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 this 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’ 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.”

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 18 2024

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