PTI to protest 'vicious witch hunt' on August 5

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced nationwide protests on August 5 to demand the release of its founder, Imran Khan, and relief for a public grappling with sky-high inflation.

The announcement was made during a news conference on Sunday by senior PTI leader and former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, accompanied by the party's secretary general and opposition leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan in Islamabad.

Imran Khan, who has been behind bars for a year, was nabbed in Lahore on August 5, 2023, following a three-year prison sentence for unlawfully selling state gifts. "August 5 marks a year since our leader's arrest. We will stage protests across the country on that day," Qaiser said.

Qaiser lambasted the ongoing clampdown on PTI members, branding it a "vicious witch-hunt."

He called on the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice, citing the recent ruling that permitted PTI to receive seats reserved for women and minorities. However, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) have challenged the ruling with a review petition.

The senior PTI leader alleged that 41 PTI MNAs are being coerced to jump ship and denounced the continued arrests and "baseless cases" against PTI leaders and activists. He demanded an end to these actions and extended an olive branch to all political parties to join PTI in resisting the current government.

Echoing Qaiser's sentiments, PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan accused the government of heavy-handed tactics against PTI lawmakers and activists. He hinted that a sit-in at Islamabad's D-Chowk is on the cards, among other strategies, as part of their future course of action.

Ayub reiterated that fresh elections are the only way out of the country's current quagmire.

Amid the escalating political drama, senior PPP leader Khurshid Shah signalled his party's readiness to broker dialogue if Imran Khan is open to it. Speaking to the media, Shah welcomed the possibility of talks, stressing that the PPP has always aimed to settle issues through negotiation.

"It is being said that the PTI founder is ready to talk. If Imran Khan is ready to talk then that's a positive thing. President Asif Ali Zardari has always tried to solve problems through negotiations, and the PPP would play its role if needed," Shah remarked.

The PPP's olive branch comes at a time when the PTI remains a fierce opponent of the ruling coalition. Since Khan's ouster via a vote of no confidence in 2022, political tensions have been running high, especially after the February 8 general elections resulted in a PML-N-led coalition government.

Calls for reconciliation have been mounting, urging PTI to engage in dialogue with the government. Initially, PTI showed a preference for dialogue with the military establishment rather than the ruling coalition. However, recent remarks from PTI leaders suggest a potential shift towards engaging with the government.

Shah stressed necessity of political dialogue for the nation's stability and progress and welcomed any overtures from Imran Khan towards initiating such discussions.