Islamabad: Days after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) “do-or-die” protest ended abruptly following a late-night crackdown in Islamabad, party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has extended an olive branch, saying the party is ready to hold talks with all political parties.

“PTI founder will chalk out the future course of action,” Gohar said while speaking to journalists in Abbottabad yesterday.

His remarks came as the PTI and coalition government trade blames for the violence during the much-protest that left four law enforcers dead in Islamabad last month.

The former ruling party has since claimed that at least 12 of its workers were killed and 1,000 were arrested. However, the government has categorically denied using live ammunition against the protesters and said that four law enforcers including three Rangers personnel and a policeman were martyred during the protest.

The PML-N-led federal government has time and again asked the PTI to “sit across the table and talk”, but its founder turned the offer, stating that the party will only hold talks with those wielding real power. Talking to the media today, Barrister Gohar also ruled out the notion of Bushra Bibi, wife of PTI founder, joining politics, saying that she had “no intention” of doing so. “She [Bushra] attended the protest as an ordinary worker,” he added.

Furthermore, the PTI chairman said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur did not utilise KP government resources during the demonstration. In response to a question, he claimed that at least 5,000 PTI workers were “still missing”, adding that they were gathering data of them at district levels.

He also lambasted the authorities for “firing” on protesters, saying that no government shoots at its own civilians.

Gohar added that the KP government would announce compensation, including jobs, for the families of “martyrs”. “Our struggle is for restoration of democracy and Imran’s release,” he added.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 05 2024

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