Govt tries to nix PTI protest

Engages in backdoor contacts with opposition party, proposes single venue rally

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LAHORE:

The government has put forward various options to thwart the planned PTI protest on February 8, with measures aimed at maintaining political stability as international events loom in the month, it emerged on Monday.

Sources revealed that the government has engaged in backdoor contacts with the opposition party's top leadership and has made an offer to resume negotiations.

In a bid to revive dialogue, the government has proposed arranging a meeting between PTI's senior leadership and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq's efforts to convince PTI to resume talks have been bolstered by these proposals.

The government has offered permission for a single-venue rally on February 8, steering clear of a potentially nationwide uproar. However, sources indicate that PTI has yet to respond to the overtures.

Determined to keep the political waters calm and avoid throwing a spanner in the works during a month loaded with international commitments, the government has also reached out to an embassy in Islamabad to open further channels of communication with PTI.

The government aims to maintain a steady political environment during four international mega-events coming up this month. Moreover, there is speculation that the European Union may review Pakistan's GSP Plus status during the month.

On February 8—the same day as the planned protest the International Parliamentary Conference is set to be held in Lahore.

In the second week of February, the President of Turkey, Erdogan, is expected to visit Pakistan, and the third week will see the Champions Trophy tournament take place in the country.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed Punjab chief party organiser Aliya Hamza said that while permission has been granted for a rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on February 8, party workers in Punjab were being harassed.

"The entire system was dismantled just to bring down one man. February 8 is a day of gratitude—the day the people woke up," she said while speaking to the media, urging the court to hear PTI's petition for holding a rally on that day.

She further claimed that journalists' mandate was also stolen with the imposition of the PECA Act. "Imran Khan fought against this system for you. The last resort of using bullets against us has already been exhausted," she added.