Story highlights

• PTI and SIC to file a petition against the 26th Constitutional Amendment next week
• PTI protest not against any constitution, says PTI’s information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram
• Gohar advises ‘few people’ to not delete social media posts after Donald Trump’s victory in the US elections

Incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan would give a “protest call” in November (this month), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said on Saturday as he refrained from giving a final date.

“The PTI supporters will wait for Khan’s final call,” he said in his address to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insa supporters at the Swabi rally – ‘Awami Jirga’.

He asked his supporters to get ready for the protest and they would not return home without the PTI founder’s release.

“We have only one option to sustain pressure or fight against the oppression,” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said as he slammed the crackdown on the PTI supporters.

“Even, if we die, we will take rest after getting him released,” he said.

While sharing the party founder’s message, Gandapur stated that Khan would give a call for protest in November (this month). The KP chief minister vowed that the PTI supporters would wait for Khan’s “final call”.

At the rally, Gandapur took oath from all supporters to act on Khan’s “decisive call” which is expected to be given in November even if takes “one’s life or resources”. He reiterated that supporters would not return home without getting Khan out of jail.

“Our fight will continue until ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’ [real freedom] is achieved,” he said.

Gohar says Imran Khan will be released without any foreign country’s influence

Incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan would be released without any foreign country’s influence, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said on Saturday.

“Hopefully, Khan’s release and freedom will be possible from here according to the Constitution and law,” Gohar said in his address to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insa supporters at the Swabi rally – ‘Awami Jirga’. “The PTI does not expect help from any foreign country, including the United States.”

He went on to add that the party founder has always said that Pakistan is an independent state and it would make its decisions, protest and move to courts.

Hundreds of supporters of PTI gathered in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swabi on Saturday as Imran Khan’s party continues its campaign for the incarcerated party leader’s release.

Before party leaders address, organisers ran an old speech of Khan from the Swabi rally on the big screen. The clip ran by the party contained the PTI’s call for marching towards Islamabad and excerpts from poet and philosopher Allama Iqbal’s poetry.

Live footage showed hundreds of people at the protest site, which lies on the border of Punjab and KP. According to the party’s information secretary, the location was decided to make it easy for supporters from Punjab to easily gather there.

They were seen holding party flags and posters calling for the former prime minister’s release.

While speaking about the PTI’s protest in Swabi on the Aaj News programme Rubaroo on Friday, PTI’s information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said that it was held for Khan’s release and against the government.

Akram added that the site of the protest is situated on the border of KP and Punjab, making it “easy” for people from both provinces to converge.

PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan thanked supporters for waiting for five hours for the rally. He announced that the PTI and the Sunni Ittehad Council – the new home of Khan lawmakers – would file a petition against the 26th Constitutional Amendment in the Supreme Court.

Gohar, a lawyer, expressed hope that the apex court would dissolve all amendments. He claimed that the government wanted to control the judiciary through the amendment.

He went on to add that in the recent past a “few people” have been deleting their tweets. Gohar was making reference to the victory of Republican candidate Donald Trump in the US elections.

He advised them to not delete social media posts and added that change in Pakistan would come from within.

Gohar clarified that KP would not “usurp” any other province and the PTI has “love” for every province. He expressed his grief over the Quetta Railway Station blast that left at least 26 people dead.

The PTI chairman wondered how there would be peace in the country by keeping Khan behind bars and described the former prime minister as an “important part” of the country.

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Gohar clarified that KP would not “usurp” any other province and the PTI has “love” for every province. He expressed his grief over the Quetta Railway Station blast that left at least 26 people dead.

The PTI chairman wondered how there would be peace in the country by keeping Khan behind bars and described the former prime minister as an “important part” of the country.

He expressed hope that the party leaders would come out “this time” for Khan’s release.

PTI protest not against any institution: Akram

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub urged the party supporters to be prepared to take to the streets.

While citing Khan’s message, Akram clarified that the PTI protest was “not against any institution” and the party wants the “restoration of democracy” and the sanctity of the Constitution.

The PTI’s information secretary rebuffed reports that there were rifts within the party and that the party leaders were “ready to render sacrifice” for the ex-prime minister.

Azhar claims upcoming months ‘crucial’ for democracy

PTI leader Hammad Azhar, who went into hiding after police issued warrants for him, also turned up for the gathering. He warned that the country could have seen a situation like Bangladesh, however, Khan decided against it.

Thousands of people in Bangladesh turned to the streets in August against the-then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid. It led to violent clashes between protesters and police.

Azhar claimed that the coming three to four months were “crucial” for the country’s democracy and added that PTI supporters have to come out for Khan’s release.

In his speech, PTI leader Asad Qaiser slammed the federal government for not releasing “Rs1,000 billion funds and special package” for the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas. He called for reopening trade with Afghanistan.