The sisters of incarcerated PTI leader Imran Khan and party supporters ended their sit-in near Adiala jail late on Tuesday after being given assurances of a meeting with the ex-premier being arranged next week.
In a video posted by Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on the social media platform X, Imran’s sister Aleema said that Mahmood Khan Achakzai had informed them that a meeting would be arranged next week.
Achakzai is the head of the TTAP opposition alliance and chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party.
“This is what he reassured us about, that a meeting will be arranged next week,” Aleema said, as she looked at Achakzai, who was standing next to her along with Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) leader Allama Raja Nasir.
Achakzai and Nasir had arrived at the site of the protest earlier on Tuesday.
“Achakzai sahib has said that because they are saying a meeting will be arranged next week, today we should disperse ourselves before the water cannons show up. That is his advice,” she said.
Recently, protests staged by the PTI and Imran’s sisters have been dispersed by authorities with water cannons, which the party has alleged were filled with chemical-laced water.
In another video, she said they were grateful for both Achakzai and Nasir, adding that their presence gave a lot of strength to the protesters.
However, she warned that the protesters would not willingly disperse next week.
“Next week, we will not move,” she said with a smile as people laughed around her. “If they do not allow a meeting, we will not move,” she asserted, calling on people to join their demonstration.
She said that her sisters had first refused to end the sit-in. However, they had decided to do so in respect of Achakzai and Nasir.
For his part, Achakzai said in a video posted by the PTI that the denial of a meeting with Imran was in contradiction of all international laws.
He said that he had spoken to a station house officer (SHO) who had assured him that he would try to arrange a meeting.
He further said that at least 10,000 people should gather at next Tuesday’s protest.
“If people want that a meeting with Imran should be allowed, especially PTI protesters, if they want that his sisters are respected, [then] this is a test case for them. At least 10,000 people should be here next Tuesday,” he said.
“If you don’t come, then forget about everything,” he said.
On Tuesday, police had sprayed water at Factory Naka, where an anti-riot fence had been erected to prevent PTI leaders and supporters from moving forward. However, after waiting for the water to dry, the protesters had staged a sit-in at the site.
The PTI leadership has provided a list of lawyers approved to meet Imran Khan in accordance with the Islamabad High Court’s order.
The approved lawyers included Gohar Ali Khan, Salman Akram Raja, Ali Zaman, Waqas Raza Khan, Malik Faraz, and Sophia Noreen. A letter written by Salman Akram Raja was sent to the superintendent of Central Jail Adiala, Abdul Ghafoor Anjum.
It should be mentioned that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said last month that meetings with Imran would remain suspended till Feb 8.
Dawn – Homenone@none.com (News Desk)Read More
