Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan announced on Thursday that the first phase of the party’s civil disobedience movement, which involves boycotting remittances, would commence on December 22 if the government does not address his “legitimate demands.”
Earlier this month, the former prime minister had threatened a civil disobedience campaign starting December 14 unless his requests regarding the release of political prisoners and the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9, 2023, and November 26 were fulfilled.
His sister, Aleema Khanum, stated on Tuesday that Imran would urge overseas Pakistanis to stop sending remittances if his demands went unmet. PTI lawyer Chaudhry Faisal Hussain mentioned the previous day that Imran had instructed party leaders to hold off on the campaign until Sunday.
It merits here mentioning that the accountability court would announce its verdict in the £190 million corruption case involving Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi on December 23 (Monday).
In a statement on social media, Khan reiterated that the first phase of the civil disobedience movement, which involves boycotting remittances, would begin this Sunday if his demands are not met.
The statement appealed to Pakistanis living abroad, highlighting the “deteriorating situation in the country, where democracy, the judiciary, and media freedom are allegedly under siege.” It urged overseas Pakistanis to initiate a boycott of remittances in response to what it described as ongoing “oppression and fascism.”
The PTI asserted that its previous offer for negotiations was “dismissed and unfairly portrayed as a sign of surrender.” The party emphasised that the proposal for talks and the postponement of the civil disobedience movement were made in the “broader national interest.”
The statement clarified that if the government shows no willingness to engage in discussions, the PTI will not impose negotiations. The party stressed that its offer should not be misconstrued as “weakness”.
It said: “If the government still wants to prevent the civil disobedience movement, they must contact us regarding our two demands or convince us that these demands are unconstitutional and cannot be addressed.”
Khan added that he has invited a negotiation team to meet with him in jail and has provided their names to the authorities. He expressed anticipation about whether the government would permit the meeting to take place.
