SWABI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders during a power show here on Saturday said implicating the party founder and former prime minister in what they said baseless and politically-motivated cases had backfired as popularity of the incarcerated leader had increased manifold, which would be proven in the Feb 8 elections.

The power show was held in Naro Kali area, three kilometers from the district headquarters, along the Swabi-Mardan Road.

PTI district president Sohail Yousafzai claimed that the party managed to hold a successful show despite facing roadblocks from the police and the district administration.

The party activists from across the district participated in the convention.

Workers resisted cops’ attempt to remove chairs, loudspeakers

The speakers said the powers that be were adamant on bringing to the helm PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif by entangling their leader (Imran) in ‘fabricated cases’.

The police attempted to take away chairs, loudspeakers and other material from the gathering’s venue, but the PTI leaders and workers thwarted their bid and held the convention.

At one point, the situation turned very serious when the police started picking the chairs.

Attaullah Khan, the Swabi tehsil mayor, moved forward, stopped the police from collecting chairs, and asked them to leave the place honourably.

Another leader claimed that they foiled the police’s bid to interrupt their plan. “We didn’t leave the venue and held a successful convention.”

Speaking on the occasion, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser termed the sentences awarded to Imran Khan in the cipher, Toshakhana and Iddat cases as pre-determined verdicts, and none of these judgments was ‘based on justice’.

He said ‘manipulation’ of the entire legal process was known to the entire world and Imran was deprived of cross-examining the prosecution witnesses. “In the country’s history, no one faced such a harsh treatment.”

“Khan’s fundamental right of cross-examination was denied to him when the case trials were in critical stage, making the entire legal process controversial,” he said, adding that the present moment was highly crucial for PTI leaders and workers because they were being targeted and deprived of their legal rights, while the other parties were free to continue their campaigns.

He termed Imran Khan’s trial a sham trial, just meant to prevent PTI from winning the Feb 8 elections, but such a strategy won’t work as the people were now fully aware of what was going on behind the scenes in an age of pouring information from different sources, especially the social media.

Mr Qaiser said that the youth’s role was very important in the coming elections and PTI had attached great expectations to them.

He blasted Maryam Nawaz Sharif for what he said labelling the Pakhtuns as militants.

Attaullah Khan, the Swabi tehsil mayor, condemned the police for raiding the venue of the public gathering and attempting to remove chairs, loudspeakers and other material from the spot, and questioned why the other political parties were given a free hand to hold their gatherings wherever and whenever they wanted.

“Policemen take selfies with leaders of other parties, but target us. We will not allow it at any cost. We are also Pakistanis,” he said, adding they had asked the party leaders that they should reach the venue of the gathering using force of party workers.

Mr Attaullah said that the party leaders and workers were enthusiastic despite facing numerous hurdles and obstacles. “We are on an offensive and would continue our campaign.”

After facing stiff resistance from the PTI workers, the police moved away from the venue.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2024