PTI denies any call for protest in Islamabad on December 7

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary of Information, Sheikh Waqas Akram, has rejected recent reports claiming that the party is planning a fresh protest in Islamabad on December 7.

Speaking in an interview on Express News's "Centre Stage" programme, Akram dismissed the claims as "false news."

"We have not made any decision about returning to Islamabad for a protest on December 7," he stated, clarifying that party member Asad Qaiser had not issued any statement regarding such an event. "No such decision has been made at the party level," he added.

Akram also refuted reports about changes in PTI leadership, specifically the alleged removal of senior leader Salman Akram Raja. "These claims are incorrect," he said. "Salman Akram Raja continues to hold his position within the party."

The PTI spokesperson addressed concerns about internal party matters, stating, "We will handle our own issues and do not need to air our grievances publicly." He also reiterated that some PTI members remain missing, with records of these cases still in the party's possession.

Akram stressed that PTI's key challenges included addressing the killings of party workers in Islamabad and securing the release of PTI founder Imran Khan. "The deaths of our workers in Islamabad and the release of our leader remain major challenges for us," he said.

He also dismissed claims about the absence of gunfire during clashes at D-Chowk, clarifying that PTI had already shown footage of the casualties. "The defence minister claimed that no shooting took place, yet we presented footage of the bodies at yesterday's press conference," Akram stated.

The PTI official called for a high-level judicial commission to investigate the deaths of their party workers, stating that international media had reported on the killings. "We are not making accusations without evidence; we are demanding an investigation into the deaths of 12 of our workers," he asserted.

Akram concluded by emphasising the need for the state to exercise patience, urging that "the state should not reach a point where its patience is exhausted."

He criticised the shifting narratives surrounding the violence at D-Chowk, saying the authorities had initially denied any shooting, only to later claim that gunfire had occurred due to attempts to cross the area.