SIALKOT: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday stated that the federal authorities’s supply for dialogues with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nonetheless stands.
His remarks got here days earlier than the previous ruling occasion’s deliberate nationwide protests for the discharge of incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan, judicial safety, rule of regulation, and the return of the PTI’s “stolen mandate”.
“From our facet, dialogue supply to PTI nonetheless intact,” stated the defence minister throughout his interplay with journalists in Sialkot right this moment.
Final week, the incarcerated PTI founder known as on his supporters to march to Islamabad on November 24. “Imran Khan says that is the ultimate name for a [anti-government] protest. The PTI founder has harassed that the occasion’s total management will likely be a part of the march,” stated his lawyer Faisal Chaudhry following a gathering in Adiala Jail.
Khan has been behind bars since August final yr after he was sentenced within the Toshakhana case and subsequently sentenced in different circumstances.
Referring to the previous ruling occasion’s current protest marches in direction of Islamabad, Asif stated that the PTI, below the management of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, “attacked” the federation twice.
The PTI held two protest rallies headed by KP firebrand CM within the federal capital in September and October amid riots and clashes with the police.
Mocking KP CM, the minister stated: “CM Ali Amin Gandapur ran away and left protesting employees deserted [in Islamabad].
In October march, the Gandapur went lacking after getting into the KP Home within the federal capital. After a mysterious day-long disappearance, he resurfaced within the KP Meeting and addressed the lawmakers. His whereabouts remained unknown for over 30 hours after PTI tried to stage a protest in Islamabad.
In September, the CM had additionally went lacking throughout the protests in Islamabad. This time he reached Peshawar after being “lacking” for hours within the wake of the crackdown towards the PTI management over alleged violation of regulation in relation to the occasion’s rally in Islamabad, with sources saying that Gandapur was “busy in varied conferences” within the federal capital after the occasion’s energy present.
Responding to a query, the minister stated that the PTI management ought to convey their youngsters to the protests if it was a matter of “do or die.”
“PTI founder solely needs dialogue with the institution,” stated the defence minister, claiming that the leaders inside the PTI had been performing the function of “double agent”.