Muhammad irshad ullah
PESHAWAR: PTI leaders have condemned the state’s use of excessive force against their party’s peaceful protest on November 24 in Islamabad.
Speaking at a press conference, Umar Ayub, Asad Qaiser and Sheikh Waqas said that 12 workers were killed and over 200 other missing. Moreover, thousands were injured and over 5,000 individuals were unlawfully detained during the protest.
Umar Ayub said that he met PTI founder Imran Khan at Adiala jail on December 5 and shortly after the meeting he was taken into custody.
Announcing a jirga to be held in Peshawar on December 13, he said the event will honor the party’s martyrs and include consultations with other political parties. He warned that if their demands were not met, PTI would be compelled to launch a civil disobedience movement.
The PTI leaders also criticized the government vehemently. Former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser stated that the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to peaceful protest. He accused state institutions of abducting PTI leaders and using taxpayers’ money to suppress the public.
Sheikh Waqas raised concerns about the families of those killed during the protests, questioning who ordered the use of force against unarmed demonstrators. He alleged that authorities were harassing the victims’ families, even during funeral rituals.
Shibli Faraz remarked that the February 8 general elections saw PTI’s mandate stolen. He accused the government of covering up its mistakes through continued illegal actions and said the judiciary was not functioning in accordance with constitutional principles.
The PTI leadership labeled the government’s actions as “state terrorism” and announced the formation of a negotiation committee, comprising Umar Ayub, Asad Qaiser, Hamid Raza, and Ali Amin Gandapur. They affirmed that if citizens’ rights continued to be violated, the party would continue its protest movement.
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