Asad Qaiser, a senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has stated that his party seeks to collaborate with other political forces to launch a united movement against the government led by Shehbaz Sharif.
The ongoing conflict between the incumbent government and the former ruling PTI has been escalating for months. PTI accuses the government of usurping its mandate, while the government claims PTI has engaged in anti-state activities.
This confrontation reached a new peak in late November when PTI organized a protest at Islamabad’s D-Chowk, leading to a crackdown by law enforcement and the filing of multiple cases against PTI leaders.
In an interaction with the media in Peshawar, Qaiser confirmed that PTI is in contact with JUI-F’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and intends to work together to oppose the government. He also criticized the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for its role in the November 26 incidents.
Qaiser pointed out that despite the government’s lack of initiative to reach out to PTI, his party remains open to discussions regarding its demands. He emphasized that PTI would continue its struggle within the constitutional and legal framework, and condemned the government’s practice of labeling political workers as terrorists while ignoring the growing threat from militants.
Commenting on the worsening law and order situation, Qaiser accused the government of targeting PTI instead of addressing the country’s real security challenges. He also announced a ceremony to honor martyrs, scheduled for December 15 at Bagh-e-Naran.
Qaiser denounced the government’s use of force against peaceful citizens, alleging that unarmed individuals were shot at. Additionally, he criticized the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment as unconstitutional and reiterated PTI’s demand for the release of all political prisoners.
In related news, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s Adviser Barrister Muhammad Saif revealed that numerous cases have been filed against PTI founder Imran Khan across Punjab and Islamabad. He noted that 99 FIRs have been lodged in Punjab and 74 in Islamabad, despite Khan being in custody.
Barrister Saif questioned how a detainee could commit crimes and argued that Khan remains a significant source of concern for the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), who view him as a continuous threat. He praised Khan for steadfastly confronting these “fabricated” charges and expressed confidence that the cases would eventually be dismissed.
