A senior party leader has revealed that former Pakistan PM Imran Khan, currently in jail, has given the go ahead for a grand opposition alliance to be created by expanding the existing platform of Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan in order to create a strong anti-government movement. News reported that Asad Qaiser, the ex-Speaker of the National Assembly and Omar Ayub Khan, the Secretary-General of his party spoke with journalists near Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail where Imran Khan has been held since August last year. The PTI also decided to expand its opposition alliance during their meeting with Mr. Khan on Thursday.
Qaiser told reporters about an powerful antigovernment campaign which he said would see all opposition parties unite under one umbrella. He stated that a power show was being arranged at Swabi district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with an aim to raise “a loud voice” for the release of this PTI’s founder and other detained leaders.
“We will only be governed by law and Constitution,” emphasized Qaiser.
Also speaking at the same event, Qaiser blamed the current PML-N government led by Nawaz Sharif over high electricity tariffs. According to him, such excessive bills were not acceptable bearing in mind numerous difficulties faced by ordinary people due to inflation.
The PTI leader also talked about another ongoing sit-in namely Jamaat-e-Islami (JI)’s protest against massive increase in electricity charges on Murree Road since July 26.
However JI Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman said that his party will not join PTI proposed grand alliance as history shows that opposition parties use such platforms for their personal interests.
“On certain issues we shall have similar stand as opposition parties and hold meetings with them but we are not going to become part of any alliance,” noted Naeem while addressing press conference on Thursday.
Ayub, while addressing the same press conference, appealed to the masses to attend the public gathering in Swabi on August 5 in large numbers from across the country to show solidarity with the former premier.
In response to criticism against PTI founder for asking for talks with Pakistani Army, Ayub said that they had not discussed dialogue at all; nonetheless Khan made it clear that military belongs to nation and vice versa.
Moreover, he added that PML-N and PPP were trying to create a rift between this area’s military force and people.
While speaking about cases registered against arrested ex-PM, Ayub claimed that they are fighting legal war for release of Imran Khan. Ayub blamed National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for keeping former first lady Bushra Bibi despite her lack of relation with Toshakhana corruption case.
The PTI Secretary-General demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq recuse themselves from hearing the cases of PTI founder. News reported this request by PTI secretary general.
According to Al Jazeera, The PTI believes he is being arrested in more cases at the behest of the powerful military establishment to make sure that he does not come out of jail.
Khan was first arrested by NAB in a £190m corruption case. He has been held since August last year on over 200 charges.
