Senior leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have announced that the party would host a national conference on December 20-21 to chalk out an agenda for the country amid rising political tensions.

Speaking to the media outside Parliament House on Wednesday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser strongly condemned the use of water cannon against PTI’s protest sit-in on Tuesday night.

The PTI leaders demanded that meetings with jailed party founder Imran Khan be allowed in accordance with court orders, and his cases should be heard on merit.

Barrister Gohar said obstacles could not stop public support for Imran Khan, noting that nearly 70 per cent of the country’s youth supported the PTI supremo.

He stressed that PTI had not violated the Constitution or law and that Khan’s meetings should be conducted as per judicial directives.

The PTI chairman alleged that meetings with Imran Khan were being blocked on political or other grounds.

Barrister Gohar added that after being deprived of its votes in the general election, the PTI joined parliament to air its grievances and seek a solution rather than staging protests.

Speaking on the occasion, former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser condemned the police action against PTI workers at a party sit-in on Tuesday night.

He demanded that party founder Imtan Khan’s cases be heard on merit, government interference in meetings with Khan be ended, and his right to meet family and political associates be restored.

Asad Qaiser stressed that such meetings are a legally established right, but the current government was ignoring constitutional and legal provisions.

Qaiser invited all political parties, bar associations, civil society and media representatives to its proposed conference.

He urged pro-democracy groups to support the PTI in its struggle for the restoration of the rule of law in the country.

He urged the PTI followers to ignore the threats of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Imran Khan’s transfer to another prison, warning that such decisions could push the country towards unrest.

Both leaders underlined that the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to peaceful protest and expression of opinion, principles which form the foundation of PTI’s movement.