Khawaja Asif
SIALKOT: Ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s planned nationwide protests, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reaffirmed that the federal government’s offer for dialogue with the opposition party still stands.
Speaking to journalists in Sialkot on Sunday, Asif emphasized that the government was open to discussions with PTI, stating, “From our side, the dialogue offer to PTI is still intact.”
This statement comes just days before PTI is set to hold its anti-government protests on November 24, which were called for by the party’s founder, Imran Khan.
Khan, who has been incarcerated since August of the previous year due to his conviction in the Toshakhana case and other legal matters, has urged his supporters to take to the streets and march towards Islamabad.
His lawyer, Faisal Chaudhry, confirmed that Khan had made it clear that the entire PTI leadership would join the protests in the capital. Khan has framed the protests as the “final call” for his supporters to mobilize against the government.
In response to PTI’s calls for nationwide protests, Minister Asif referred to PTI’s previous protest actions in Islamabad, particularly those led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
He accused PTI of staging two “attacks” on the federal government during protest rallies in September and October, which led to clashes between PTI workers and police forces in the capital. The protests were marred by riots and violence, culminating in arrests and several confrontations with law enforcement.
Asif also mocked CM Gandapur’s actions during these protests, claiming that the KP CM had abandoned his party’s workers after they were left stranded during the Islamabad rallies.
In both the September and October protests, Gandapur mysteriously disappeared from the scene, only to resurface after several hours.
His absence during critical moments of the protests led to rumors about his whereabouts, with the minister sarcastically suggesting that Gandapur had been involved in other undisclosed meetings while the protests unfolded.
Responding to a question about the ongoing protests, Asif urged PTI leadership to bring their children to the protests if they viewed it as a matter of life and death.
He also claimed that Imran Khan was more focused on negotiating with the establishment rather than engaging in dialogue with the federal government, adding that PTI leaders were playing a “double agent” role, signaling disunity within their ranks.
In conclusion, Khawaja Asif stressed that despite the ongoing tensions, the government remained committed to dialogue, urging PTI to reconsider its approach and engage in meaningful discussions rather than pushing for further protests.
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