Days after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led a failed protest march to the federal capital last week, founder PTI Imran Khan, on Thursday, warned the government on X (formerly Twitter) that his party will begin a civil disobedience movement if two demands are not met.
He demanded the formation of a judicial commission for a transparent investigation of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, and the release of under-trial political prisoners.
“If these two demands are not accepted, a civil disobedience movement will be launched from December 14,” the founder of the former ruling party warned, adding that the government would be responsible for the results of the movement.
Pakistan’s biggest opposition party ended its three-day-long march on Tuesday (November 26) after security forces initiated a crackdown on PTI demonstrators. However, after the protest march concluded, several casualties were reported, including the three Rangers personnel and a police official.
According to PTI, 12 party followers were dead. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) government denied that there were casualties.
On May 9, 2023, hours after Imran Khan was arrested from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Al Qadir Trust case, his supporters came out across the country. However, the demonstrations shortly turned violent, which lasted more than 24 hours.
Reportedly, ten individuals died, and approximately 40 public buildings and military installations, including Lahore Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House), Askari Tower in Lahore and General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, were damaged.
However, after the protest concluded, thousands of rioters were arrested in connection with the violence.
On May 7, 2024, Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj-Gen Ahmed Sharif, in a press conference at Rawalpindi, asserted, “There is only one way back for such political anarchists that it (PTI) asks for an earnest apology in front of the nation and promises that it will forgo politics of hate and adopt constructive [style of] politics. In any case, such dialogue should take place between political parties. It is not appropriate for the army to be involved.”
Additionally, the former premier on Thursday post also announced a “grand gathering” in Peshawar on December 13 to “pay homage to the martyrs” that PTI believe were the victims of the state offensive grand operation during last week’s party protest at Islamabad, adding, “all opposition parties will be invited to attend.”
Imran Khan claimed that hundreds of his party workers were “still missing,” urging the Supreme Court to take notice of the incidents and “play its constitutional role.”
“We approached the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court over serious violations of human rights, but no action was taken,” he added.