Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders pledge to continue anti-government movement

Islamabad [Pakistan], September 11 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has pledged to continue its anti-government movement. The statement by former Prime Minister Imran Khan- led party came a day after several party leaders were arrested from Parliament House in a police crackdown on Monday, Geo News reported.
While addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Tuesday, Tehreek-Insaf leader Salman Akram Raja said, "There should be no misunderstanding as people have stood up."
Other leaders of the party, including Omar Ayub Khan, Asad Qaiser, Azam Swati, and Salman Akram Raja, were also present at the press conference held after Imran Khan-founded party's core committee meeting, according to Geo News report.
Raja said, "Some people are influencing the country's political and democratic process," adding that they would not back off and let anyone suppress the voice of the people of Pakistan.
Defending the PTI leaders' speeches in the rally held in Islamabad on September 8, Raja said that the political power show has a different environment.
The opposition party strongly condemned PTI leaders arrests, including the detention of some Members of the National Assembly (MNA) from the parliament, in a police crackdown on its leaders in Islamabad launched on alleged violations of the public gathering law's violations.
During the press conference, reporters protested over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur's remarks against journalists during his speech in the PTI's Islamabad power on September 9.
While addressing the press conference, the Leader of Opposition in Pakistan's National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, criticised the coalition government for resorting to tactics to stop PTI's public gathering in Islamabad.
Omar Ayub Khan accused the ruling parties in the coalition government of levelling false allegations against PTI leaders and detaining them, Geo News reported.
He condemned the arrests of PTI leaders in the police crackdown, calling September 9 a "black day" and claimed that "masked whisked away several party leaders" in addition to arresting MNA Sher Afzal Marwat and Shoaib Shaheen.
During the press conference, PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser announced that his party leaders will fight for its rights on the streets in addition to continuing its legal battle in the courts. He called for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan and other party leaders who have been arrested.
Pakistan's former National Assembly speaker also called for fresh polls in the country and called the incumbent government "illegitimate."
He suggested that contempt of court cases should be registered against against the Islamabad police chief and commissioner for placing obstacles along the rally in Islamabad.
Earlier on September 10, PTI held the core committee's session at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister's House in Peshawar. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Ali Amin Gandapur and PTI's central leaders attended the meeting, Geo News reported.
The PTI's core committee decided to launch protests across the nation from Friday, Geo News reported, citing sources. The sources further said that PTI lawmakers will raise the matter on the assembly floor.
Meanwhile, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who was arrested in crackdown on Monday, was released by the Islamabad police as a case against him was discharged.
The PTI leaders have been accused of attacking police officials and violating regulations mentioned under a new law - Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024, during the PTI's public gathering on Sunday.
The police had registered cases against the PTI leaders under the newly-enacted law, at the Noon Village and Sangjani police stations, Geo News reported.
Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq reprimanded the Islamabad Inspector General (IG) of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi for arrest of PTI leaders and demanded their immediate release.
The speaker called for presenting CCTV footage of all entry points of the parliament and signalled to register a case against those who were involved in the arrest of PTI lawmakers. In addition, he pledged that no compromise would be made on the parliament's dignity.