While political circles are abuzz with the recent threat of a 'civil disobedience' movement from PTI's jailed leader Imran Khan, the beleaguered opposition party is unlikely to follow through on the threat anytime soon.
Separately in Islamabad, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to file a first information report (FIR) against the federal government over its crackdown against party protests on November 26 in Islamabad.
In a message posted to micro-blogging site 'X', Khan said on Thursday night that there was an unannounced dictatorship in the country which was being supported by a pliant superior judiciary.
He added that he would appeal to overseas Pakistanis to limit remittances and launch a boycott campaign. However, he also indicated that his party was amenable to negotiations as he announced the formation of a five-member committee.
"We haven't yet taken a decision on launching a civil disobedience movement," Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said on Saturday. "We have decided to pursue dialogue for the greater good of the country, but if the government doesn't give up its confrontationist approach, then we will continue our movement," he added while speaking to the media after an event in his hometown of DI Khan.
Gandapur heaped scorn on the political parties that claim to be believer in democracy but talk about outlawing their rival political rivals. The PML-N, which rules at the Centre, has been leading the chorus of voices calling for a ban on the PTI in the aftermath of the party's failed march on the federal capital on November 24.
The chief minister also sought to defend himself against a claim by Khan's wife Bushra Bibi that she had been abandoned by the party's leaders during the D Chowk crackdown. "I firmly stood by her side throughout the march, but if she thinks she was abandoned, then this could be her personal opinion," Gandapur said, laying bare the schisms in the party following the D Chowk fiasco.
The government and the JUI-F are embroiled in a debilitating row over a proposed madrassa registration law, with Maulana Fazlur Rehman threatening to lead a march on the federal capital if the ruling parties reneged on a commitment they had made with him in return for his support for the 26th constitutional amendment.
Ironically, Gandapur appeared to be siding with the government over the issue as he said that the PTI wants Islamic seminaries to teach both religious as well as secular subjects. "All the madrassas must meet the requirements for registration because this would allow the government to provide funds and scholarships to their students," he added.
The government and the PTI have been giving conflicting figures on the number of casualties during the D Chowk crackdown. Khan's party says they have confirmation of at least 12 deaths with dozens of others injured. CM Gandapur added that "hundreds" of PTI workers had been injured in the crackdown while "thousands" taken into custody by security personnel and law enforcers
Earlier, the chief minister attended the annual convocation of Gomal Medical College as the chief guest, where he gave away degrees and medals to the graduates. In total, 68 graduates received degrees, and 18 were awarded gold medals. In his speech on the occasion, he congratulated the graduates, their parents, and the teachers, highlighting that the medical profession is sacred, and doctors hold a high position in society.
Core Committee meeting
During a meeting of the PTI core committee on Saturday, sources revealed that a subcommittee was formed to decide whether or not to launch a civil disobedience movement.
The subcommittee is expected to submit its report within 48 hours, and it will be headed by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan.
Further details from the core committee meeting indicate that a decision was also made to file an FIR against the government for its actions during the November 26 protest.
The sources mentioned that a committee for the FIR filing process has been formed, with former attorney general Latif Khosa taking the lead. The committee will include Naeem Haider Panjutha and other lawyers.
During the briefing, it was revealed that 146 PTI workers have been completely missing since the November 26 protest.
On November 13, Imran Khan made a "final call" for nationwide protests on November 24, demanding the restoration of PTI's electoral mandate, the release of detained party members, and the reversal of the 26th Amendment, which he claimed had bolstered a "dictatorial regime."
The three-day journey of PTI leaders culminated in Islamabad on November 26, where a day of intense clashes between security forces and PTI protesters ended with the party's top leadership and supporters making a swift retreat from the Red Zone in the early hours of November 27.
While the PTI claims the government unleashed a ruthless crackdown, the government has alleged the party came equipped with weapons for the protests during which it also killed and injured security personnel, prompting an operation against the 'miscreants'.
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