Gohar says PTI wants ‘peaceful’ long march, condemns detention of Imran’s sisters

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan has said that his party wants to hold a peaceful long march, rejecting apprehensions and allegations that the planned protest would target state institutions or cause unrest.

“We want our march to take place, and we want it to remain peaceful,” Gohar said, accusing a certain group within the government of spreading “propaganda” against the planned protest and long march.

Talking to the media in Lahore on Wednesday, he said that the PTI was a political and democratic force and would demonstrate its public support through the planned long march.

Gohar said the party was seeking justice and would continue its protest until its objectives were achieved.

He alleged that cases involving PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were not being heard. He said that Imran Khan had not been shifted to a hospital despite recommendations from doctors and orders from the Supreme Court and high courts.

“We have approached the high courts 25 times and the Supreme Court 119 times, and raised our voice in parliament. When no one listened, we decided to take to the streets,” he said.

Gohar said that the PTI would continue raising its voice on the streets so that the world could hear that it was not being treated fairly.

‘Political issues should be resolved through dialogue’

Responding to questions about the breakdown of talks between PTI and the government, Gohar said that his party had repeatedly expressed its desire for dialogue but claimed that the government had not taken practical steps to move the process forward.

He said that the PTI knew whom it needed to engage with and maintained that political issues should be resolved through political means.

“Talks should take place, but unfortunately, they are not happening at the moment,” he said.

Gohar said that PTI leaders, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas were available for dialogue.

He said that the government’s offer for talks remained merely an offer because, according to him, no practical measures had been taken.

“If practical steps are taken, then we can sit down and talks can move forward,” Gohar said, adding that PTI believed there was a lack of seriousness within the government to resolve the political issues.

Gohar rejects ‘attack’ narrative

Gohar rejected what he described as a narrative being promoted by a section of the government that PTI’s long march, rally or sit-in would involve attacks on state institutions, the country or Islamabad.

“We are not attacking anyone. We are raising our voice for our rights,” he said.

He said that the PTI had remained peaceful and would continue to do so.

Gohar also questioned restrictions on PTI demonstrations, asking why the party was not being allowed to hold a march when other political parties had been permitted to organise marches.

He said that the party wanted its march to take place “with peace and calm”.

Condemns arrests of Imran’s sisters

Gohar said that he had travelled to Lahore to express solidarity with Imran Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan, Noreen Bibi and Uzma Khan, who had been arrested and detained.

He described their arrests as “the worst example of political victimisation”, arguing that they were non-political family members.

“We strongly condemn the manner in which they have been picked up, particularly when they are non-political individuals,” he said.

Gohar said that four members of Imran Khan’s family were currently in jail, while eight PTI members of the National Assembly and two members of the provincial assembly had also been arrested.

He further alleged that two ministers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were missing and said raids had also been conducted at the homes of two ministers in his constituency in Buner.

He said PTI’s MNAs and MPAs remained steadfast despite the arrests and raids.

‘Governor’s rule already in place in KP’

Gohar alleged that “governor’s rule” was effectively in place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa without having been formally imposed.

“You have taken the entire administration into your hands,” he said, warning of what he described as dangerous consequences for democracy.

He alleged that although the province’s ministers, MNAs and MPAs belonged to PTI, “your writ” prevailed there.

“There is currently no thinking within the government to resolve the issues,” he said.