Bushra Bibi escalates tensions with govt, frustrates PTI leadership

ISLAMABAD, NOV 27 (DNA): Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had been talking to different PTI leaders and even provided a helicopter to two of them to fly to Hassan Abdal — some 45 kilometers from Islamabad — and persuade Bushra Bibi not to march to D-Chowk but the latter did not listen to anyone.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was not in favour of Bushra Bibi joining the march from Peshawar. He tried to convince her to stay back but she insisted on joining the protest march and led it by boarding a container. An informed source said the two also had an argument on this issue.

During the recent days, there were some occasions when there was a possibility of a breakthrough during the recent background interactions between the government and PTI leadership.

The first occasion was three days before the November 24 protest march date when the two sides had a chance to enter into a formal dialogue but then PTI founder Imran Khan had set the condition of his release by last Friday.

The government did not agree to it. Later, for two days, the PTI leaders contacted the government, mainly the interior minister, to meet Imran and convince him to change the protest march destination — D-Chowk, Islamabad — given the Islamabad High Court’s decision. However, the PTI leaders were not allowed to meet.

For the initial two days of background negotiations, Gandapur and PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan were facilitated to meet Imran in Adiala jail. Mohsin Naqvi has been helping them to get to an amicable solution.

On Monday, the second day of the protest march, two of the PTI leaders Barrister Gohar and Barrister Saif were facilitated to meet the jailed founder chairman of the party.

Imran after meeting with these leaders, gave his consent not to march to D-Chowk and stage a sit-in at Sangjani, on the outskirts of Islamabad. The party leadership was conveyed to continue their sit-in at Sangjani till the outcome of the background dialogue between the government and PTI.

Imran, according to sources, also talked to Gandapur on the phone. There was a proposal that Imran should make a video message about his direction relating to Sangjani but it did not happen as the PTI founder apprehended that his video message could be edited.

Imran message was conveyed to Bushra by some of the leaders including, Gandapur, Omar Ayub and others but she insisted on continuing her protest march to D-Chowk, Islamabad.

Later, two PTI leaders, Gohar and Barrister Saif (who met Imran Khan on Monday), were provided a helicopter by  Naqvi to fly to Hassan Abdal and persuade Bushra Bibi to stop. But when the two leaders reached Hassan Abdal, the march had already moved towards Islamabad.

The sources said that Mohsin Naqvi also spoke to KP CM and Ayub but these leaders were also found helpless as the protest march was in complete control of Bushra Bibi.

Some of the PTI leaders, who have been interacting with the interior minister during the last few days, are appreciative of his role in assisting them for a negotiated solution leading to the initiation of formal dialogue. However, it did not happen.