PTI did not call street protests: CM Afridi

PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said on Monday that PTI workers were present on the streets without a formal protest call from Imran Khan’s party as opposition lawmakers continued their sit-in outside Parliament House, demanding treatment for the jailed PTI founder under the supervision of his trusted doctors.

Amid these protests, the K-P CM, who belongs to the PTI, issued a statement clarifying that the party’s strategy was clear: it wanted to limit the protest plan to parliament.

According to Afridi, lawmakers, led by Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas, are holding a peaceful sit-in in front of Parliament House. “Despite several parliamentarians being stopped, the sit-in continues, and no official protest call has been issued,” he said.

He said the fact that not even a single flowerpot was damaged proves that PTI’s protest is civilized, constitutional, and within the bounds of the law.

He warned that if any attempt is made to infiltrate protesters with disruptive elements to create chaos, the responsibility will rest squarely with the government. Afridi said the party is currently going through a difficult phase as Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, are unjustly incarcerated.

“While workers may be emotional, they have been urged to exercise patience and restraint. The PTI is not a mob but a disciplined political party with a clear chain of command. Any decision regarding protests or future strategy will be taken only by Imran Khan’s nominated leadership,” he said.

He said when an official call is given, the public response will be such that no force will be able to stop it. However, he stressed that the current issue is purely about Imran Khan’s health and not political manoeuvring.

Meanwhile, an opposition parties’ alliance—the TTAP—announced on Monday that it would continue its sit-in at Parliament House until its demands are met. After a meeting, PTI leader Asad Qaiser said consultations were ongoing regarding the next course of action.

He stated that the alliance decided to continue the sit-in until their demands are fulfilled. “Our demand is that the PTI founder’s personal physician be allowed to meet him,” he said.

Following the opposition alliance’s decision, the sit-in outside Parliament resumed, with parliamentarians chanting slogans at the main gate.

Earlier, during a consultative meeting, members expressed serious concerns over a propaganda campaign on social media and questions raised by the PTI founder’s sisters.

Some members demanded clarity on whether the party would be run by Imran’s sister Aleema Khan and the PTI founder’s family or by the political committee.