Imran Khan states rally on September 8 held after the establishment guaranteed full support for the rescheduled event
Faisal Sheikh
Rawalpindi: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, Imran Khan, has admitted that his planned rally on August 22 was postponed at the request of the establishment, citing concerns over potential unrest in the country.
During an informal conversation with journalists at Adiala Jail, Imran revealed that Azam Swati, acting as an intermediary on behalf of the establishment, approached him early that morning to request the rally’s postponement.
Swati conveyed that with a cricket match and protests by religious parties in Islamabad, the rally could fuel instability.
Imran added that the establishment guaranteed full support for an alternate rally scheduled for September 8.
“I postponed the August 22 rally for the sake of Pakistan,” he said.
In response to a question, Imran dismissed suggestions that he sought legal relief for personal gain, stating that he had been offered a deal to remain silent for three years, which would have led to his cases being dropped.
“If I wanted relief, I would have fled the country,” he remarked.
Imran also warned of launching a strong protest movement if Justice Qazi Faez Isa is reinstated, calling him the most biased judge in the country’s history.
Police in Islamabad have filed three cases against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership for failing to conclude a rally on time, pelting stones on police officers, and violating designated routes.
The cases were registered under the Public Order and Peace Act, following the PTI’s public gathering.
The first case was lodged at Sangjani Police Station for the rally exceeding its permitted time limit.
A second case was registered at Sumbal Police Station for violating the pre-approved route by leading convoys through Sadaat Colony and Srinagar Highway.
The third case, filed at Noon Police Station, pertains to stone-pelting on law enforcement officials, including senior superintendent of police (SSP) Safe City and other officers.
Earlier today, federal ministers Attaullah Tarar and Engineer Amir Maqam alleged that attendees at the opposition’s recent rally were forced to participate, accusing the opposition of using unethical tactics to fill their event.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, the ministers criticized the opposition, particularly the Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, for his use of provocative language at the rally.
Yesterday, after a long gap, Imran Khan’s beleaguered party finally managed to hold a massive rally in Islamabad amid clashes with the capital’s police which left dozens of policemen and PTI workers injured.
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