PTI announces nationwide protests, shutter-down strike on Feb 8

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said on Thursday it would observe a nationwide shutter-down strike and hold protests across the country on February 8 against what it said rigging in the last general election.

In a statement issued after a meeting of its joint parliamentary party, the PTI said the protests would continue until what it called the restoration of the public mandate and the protection of democratic and political rights.

According to the statement, the meeting reviewed the country’s overall political, security and provincial situation, strongly condemned recent militant attacks in Balochistan, and expressed grief over the deaths of security personnel and civilians.

Participants reaffirmed their resolve for national unity in the fight against militancy.

The parliamentary party also expressed “serious concern” over the health of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, demanding that he be provided immediate and complete medical facilities and be allowed meetings without delay.

The statement welcomed a recent meeting between KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and called on the federal government to take urgent steps to address Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s financial issues, including the immediate release of outstanding funds under the National Finance Commission (NFC), net hydel profit (NHP) and other dues.

The meeting also highlighted deprivation in the former tribal districts, called for development funds, pledged not to reimpose the erstwhile Frontier Crimes Regulation, and demanded the immediate rehabilitation of families affected during winter. It voiced full support for jirga decisions and efforts to restore peace in the tribal areas.

The PTI announced it would observe a peaceful shutter-down strike and a day of protest on February 8, and said demonstrations would continue until the party’s demands were met.

The statement also condemned what it described as violence against PTI workers in Sindh and Punjab, calling violations of the constitution, democracy and fundamental human rights unacceptable.

Separately, speaking to reporters, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said Imran Khan had instructed party workers not to take the law into their own hands, despite what he described as worsening conditions in the country.

Afridi said there was nationwide concern over Khan’s health, adding that Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi was being held unlawfully and that Khan’s sisters had not been allowed to meet him. He alleged that chemical-laced water was thrown on them every Tuesday, calling it an act of extreme injustice.

Afridi said Khan’s sisters had made significant sacrifices and that PTI workers would stand by them.

He said a former prime minister and leader of the country’s largest political party had been jailed, and that Khan underwent eye surgery without his personal doctor present, in a location where neither his family nor doctors were allowed access.

Afridi described the treatment of Khan as “medical terrorism” and said protests had become the only option after exhausting all legal avenues.

He also expressed respect for opposition leaders Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, saying Khan had entrusted them with responsibilities related to both protest and negotiations.

Afridi said February 8 was a “black day” in Pakistan’s history, comparing it to events in 1971 and 1973.

He alleged that PTI was deprived of its election symbol, nomination papers were forcibly taken from candidates, and election results were manipulated through Form-47 to impose what he called unqualified rulers.