Home Latest News Imran Khan Gives Six-Day Deadline for Announcement of Early Elections

Imran Khan Gives Six-Day Deadline for Announcement of Early Elections

PTI chairman backtracks from calls for sit-in, returns to Bani Gala residence after addressing supporters in Islamabad

by Staff Report

Screengrab of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s address to supporters at D-Chowk

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday morning concluded his party’s ‘Azadi March’ after reaching Jinnah Avenue in Islamabad by announcing a six-day deadline for the coalition government to dissolve assemblies and announce early elections.

In a brief speech during which he reiterated his allegations of a “foreign conspiracy” instigating his ouster through a vote of no-confidence, he said that he had reached Islamabad from Peshawar after traveling for 30 hours. “The government tried every method to crush our Azadi March,” he said. “They used teargas on peaceful protests, our homes were raided and our privacy was violated. However, I have seen the nation free itself of fear of slavery,” he claimed.

According to the PTI chairman, three PTI workers died during clashes with police in Karachi; two fell off the Ravi Bridge while trying to remove containers on it; and thousands more were arrested. He also hailed the participation of women in the long march, claiming they had proven their commitment for a “free Pakistan.”

The former prime minister concluded his speech by giving a deadline to the government to announce early elections, warning that he would return if this did not happen. “My message for the imported government is to dissolve assemblies and announce elections. Otherwise, I will come back again to Islamabad after six days,” he added.

Prior to reaching Islamabad, Khan had told his supporters that he would not leave D-Chowk until the government announces a date for the elections.

Night of unrest

Prior to Khan’s arrival in the federal capital, Islamabad experienced a restive night during which PTI supporters sporadically clashed with police at D-Chowk, where they had gathered at Khan’s call in violation of Supreme Court orders that had instructed the PTI to stage its protest at a ground in between the H-9 and G-9 sectors of Islamabad.

Earlier in the day, the apex court had ordered the government to provide security to the PTI for its protest and release all arrested workers of the party. Representatives of the PTI had, meanwhile, assured the court that its workers would not cause any damage to public or private property during the rally—assertions that were proven false at D-Chowk.

Shortly after the court issued its orders, Khan issued a video statement urging his supporters to gather at D-Chowk—and not the designated ground—and assuring them that they could no longer be arrested. The marchers then proceeded toward D-Chowk, and amidst clashes with police set fire to trees and vehicles in the Blue Area of the federal capital. The police resorted to tear-gas shelling and baton-charging in a bid to push back the PTI supporters, but was largely unable to dislodge them.

According to police, the fire brigade was called to douse the flames but the rioters also attacked the fire engine. In a statement, the Islamabad Police confirmed that PTI workers had set fire to trees and vehicles, and had also set ablaze a bus station and damaged several government buildings.

Even after Khan called off his sit-in and proceeded toward Bani Gala, several dozen PTI workers continued to proceed toward Islamabad’s prohibited Red Zone, which contains several ‘high-security’ buildings like the Supreme Court, Prime Minister’s House and the U.S. Embassy. In response, the government has sought the help of the Army to control the situation and protect the sensitive areas.

In a notification shared by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, the government summoned the Army to bolster security under Article 245 of the Constitution.

Ruling’s fallout

In a posting on Twitter, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman condemned the law and order situation in the capital and claimed that the Supreme Court had rendered ineffective the executive’s ability to maintain the law and order situation, creating an impression it was facilitating the PTI. “Now the SC will have to clear its position and take steps to remove this impression of facilitating the PTI,” he said and called on the apex court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the PTI leadership for violating the commitment they had made.

Under that commitment, the PTI and the government were to hold negotiations at 10 p.m. to figure out a solution to the crisis. However, the PTI claimed that when its representatives reached the commissioner’s office, no one from the government was present so they left. The government delegation, led by PMLN leader Ayaz Sadiq, said it had reached the venue 25 minutes late because of delays caused by road blockades.

He said he had communicated this delay to the chief commissioner but the PTI had refused to wait for them. “Following the court’s order, we have removed obstacles but the city was set on fire,” he told media. “The chief commissioner had been continuously calling the PTI team but they were not responsive. However, we will wait here a little longer for them,” he said, adding that Khan had violated the SC’s order and asked workers to reach the D-Chowk.

“If we don’t obey the SC’s order, then we are charged with contempt of court. But when we followed the orders, this is what happened,” Sadiq added.

Other clashes

As the police and PTI workers clashed in Islamabad, there were also minor skirmishes in other parts of the country, most notably Lahore, Quetta and Karachi. In Lahore, protesters gathered at Liberty Market, with minor clashes with police.

In Quetta, a few PTI workers gathered outside the Balochistan Assembly and staged a sit-in to demand early elections. They claimed their protest was in response to the government action against the PTI in Islamabad.

In Karachi, the protest turned violent, with several policemen being injured after PTI supporters pelted them with stones. They also set a police van on fire. At one point, the police resorted to aerial firing, which prompted a surge in the number of protesters offering their support.

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