PTI warns govt against Feb 8 crackdown

The PTI warned on Tuesday the PML-N-led ruling coalition to refrain from using force against party's planned peaceful protests and rallies on February 8 to mark the first anniversary of "the mother of all rigged polls".

As opposed to previous occasions when the party leadership didn't have a clear plan and abandoned the party workers, the party leadership said that PTI has this time around hammered out a well-thought-out strategy to mobilize a massive turnout of supporters against what it calls February 2024 poll theft.

PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram "warned the government against resorting to highhandedness and fascism once again", vowing that PTI would hold its public meetings and rallies as per the set schedule because it was its democratic and constitutional right.

Party's spokesperson asserted that the nation was gearing up for a historic and record-breaking peaceful protest on February 8 across the country to mark the alleged mandate theft in the last general elections. "PTI hammered out a well-thought-out strategy to mobilize a massive turnout of supporters," Akram said in a statement.

The PTI's statement has come on the heels of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi's warning to PTI of strict action if it goes ahead with its planned February 8 protest which coincides with the Champions Trophy match scheduled in Lahore.

PTI awaiting response

The PTI will "welcome" a response that the army chief, General Asim Munir, might give to a letter sent to him by former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan. However, the party has not received any response so far.

"I have not seen or read the letter. However, Imran Khan has himself told us about the contents of the letter," PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan told the media on Tuesday after meeting with Imran at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail. "We will welcome the army chief's response," he added.

A day earlier, one of Imran's lawyer Faisal Chaudhry revealed that the former PM has written a letter to General Asim Munir, criticising the establishment's policies' and calling for a review of its approach towards national security and governance.

Meanwhile, the PTI has constituted a three-member committee to investigate parliamentarians who have violated party discipline, particularly in connection with the 26th Amendment issue.

The committee will hear the cases against those MNAs who have already been issued show-cause notices.