ISLAMABAD: A day after a raid on PTI’s central office, the party leaders on Tuesday held a symbolic hunger strike camp outside the Parliament House to demand the release of their party founder, Imran Khan, from prison.

They also demanded the officials stop the “action” against PTI leaders and initiate contempt of court proceedings against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for her remarks against the judiciary.

The protest was held a day after PTI information secretary Raoof Hasan was arrested by the police and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) during a raid at the party’s office.

The FIA presented Mr Hasan before a judicial magistrate who remanded the PTI leader into the investigation agency’s custody. “It was the first day of a three-hour hunger strike camp, and it will continue till [we] get basic rights and release of Imran Khan from jail,” PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said about the protest.

More leaders to join camp outside parliament in coming days; party’s office sealed over ‘inadequate’ fire safety measures

The camp will continue in the coming days, and PTI leaders will attend it on rotation.

Mr Gohar added that a PTI delegation met with the National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in his chamber on Tuesday and discussed the security of the party’s lawmakers.

National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan said that initially, PTI founder Imran Khan had said he wanted to go on a hunger strike, but party leaders, including him, requested their leader shelve the plan.

“Whenever we get the order from Imran Khan, we will spread the hunger strike across the country.”

He also condemned the arrest of Mr Hasan and other PTI leaders and demanded fresh elections.

PTI leader Asad Qaiser also made a similar demand, claiming that the government “will not be able to suppress the party” and calling for fresh elections.

Contempt case against Maryam

The former National Assembly speaker also said the Punjab CM’s remarks against the judiciary were “condemnable” and demanded contempt of court proceedings against her.

“The Supreme Court has clearly said that PTI is a political party. I want to ask under which law the party’s office has been sealed and staff arrested,” he questioned.

In her scathing remarks last week, a visibly irate CM Maryam criticised the Supreme Court’s judgement in the SIC reserved seats case and said those attempting to derail development and create political instability “will be dealt with iron hands”.

“Whenever the country starts to make progress, someone starts conspiring against it,” she said, and called upon the judged to “let this country function smoothly”.

DG ISPR presser

For the second day straight, PTI leaders continued criticising the DG ISPR’s press conference, with Mr Ayub saying on Tuesday that the armed forces’ spokesperson appeared to be the interior minister’s spokesperson and tried to “support a government which has been formed on the basis of Form 47s”.

Another PTI leader, Shibli Faraz, also said the DG ISPR “came forward to support the govt”.

The country can not progress during this fascism. We will hold a countrywide protest on Friday,” he said.

He added that the PTI was struggling within the realms of law and the Consti­tution and that Mr Khan and his wife had been arrested in politically motivated cases. He vowed to continue the struggle for Mr Khan’s release from jail.

PTI office sealed

Meanwhile, FIA presented Mr Hasan in court on Tuesday and sought his custody to recover social media accounts and electronic devices.

Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Shab­bir approved the request and approved a two-day physical remand of Mr Hasan.

Mr Hasan’s lawyer, Latif Khosa, argued that the PTI office had been sealed and the matter was under review in the high court. He alleged that the government was unjustly attempting to ban PTI and mentioned that women candidates were also being arrested to exert pressure on the party. He urged the judiciary to ensure justice.

According to party sources, several male workers were also handed over to the FIA on physical remand. Moreover, 14 women leaders, most of them candidates for reserved seats, were sent to jail on judicial remand.

A day after the raid, the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation sealed PTI’s central media secretariat for not having fire and life safety measures in place.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2024