PTI to hold nationwide protest on August 5

Omar Ayub says current regime aims to create conflict between the army and his party

ISLAMABAD:

Former ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) top leadership on Sunday announced to hold a nationwide protest against the government on August 5.

During a press conference, Omar Ayub stated that the behaviour towards their parliamentarians has been unacceptable, pointing out that their MNAs are being picked up by agencies and presented before anti-corruption bodies.

He mentioned five intelligence agencies, explaining the uncertainty over which agency is responsible for these actions. Ayub emphasized that all their associates have been subjected to legal cases, which he attributes to the affidavits they submitted when joining PTI.

Recalling Imran Khan's warning, Ayub noted that the current regime aims to create conflict between the army and PTI. He accused PML-N of attempting to pit the largest party against the army and stressed that immediate elections are the only solution to the political turmoil.

Read PTI denied protest permit in Islamabad

Ayub further announced a meeting the next day where decisions regarding a sit-in at D-Chowk would be made.

Asad Qaiser condemned the severe crackdown on their supporters, questioning the dignity of parliament if parliamentarians are humiliated in this manner. He urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the forced resignations of 41 MNAs and called on his lawyers to approach the SC, questioning the governance of the country under such conditions.

Qaiser announced that decisions regarding protests would be made in their meeting, with plans for large demonstrations across the country on August 5.

He highlighted that this date would mark one year of the PTI founder's imprisonment and urged the public to protest against inflation and the illegal arrest of the PTI founder. Asad expressed concern over how the poor would survive the rising inflation and noted the decline in the textile industry.

Further condemning the behaviour of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his niece, Asad demanded the withdrawal of baseless cases against PTI members. He announced plans for nationwide sit-ins and invited all parties to join them, declaring the current government as fake and imposed without a mandate.