ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s imprisoned ex-prime minister Imran Khan has threatened to launch a nationwide civil disobedience movement, in an apparent bid to keep his public mobilisation campaign intact and to force the country’s powerful authorities to agree to his demands.
Less than two weeks after his “final call” protest in Islamabad was violently suppressed, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief has asked his supporters to converge on Dec 13 in the northwestern city of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, to pay homage to party workers who were killed in the crackdown by security forces in Islamabad.
His call for protest in Islamabad had mobilised thousands of supporters, primarily from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province governed by his party. Imran’s party is believed to have organised the Dec 13 gathering in Peshawar keeping in mind his popularity in the region.
Imran has also constituted a five-member team to discuss two key demands with govt: release of undertrial prisoners and a judicial probe into the crackdown on the Nov 26 protest march and the violence on May 9 last year. On both dates, PTI workers and Imran’s supporters held major protests, but faced a backlash from govt and security forces.
“If these two demands are not accepted, a civil disobedience movement will begin on Dec 14. Govt will bear full responsibility for the consequences,” the PTI chief’s post in Urdu read.
“As part of the movement, we will urge overseas Pakistanis to limit remittances and start a boycott campaign. In the second phase, we will escalate our actions further,” he added.
The announcement followed Imran’s recent indictment for his involvement in an attack on military headquarters on May 9 last year, while he was also slapped with charges of terrorism for his role in protests that besieged Islamabad last month.
Meanwhile, data submitted before the Islamabad high court revealed that the 72-year old cricketer-turned-politician is currently facing 188 criminal cases and inquiries. According to the data, he has been booked in 99 cases in Punjab, 76 in Islamabad and two in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.