ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has made the cancellation of its planned protest on October 15 in Islamabad conditional on a meeting with the party's founder, Imran Khan.
According to sources, the PTI's core committee concluded an emergency meeting after lengthy discussions, chaired by Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja.
During the meeting, some members proposed postponing the protest due to the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conference, while others, including Shahbaz Gill and Khalid Khurshid, opposed the delay.
Core committee members expressed that the government's restriction on meetings with Imran Khan was a deliberate conspiracy.
They raised concerns over Khan's health, stating that the protest's cancellation hinged on meeting him.
The committee decided that if a meeting with the founder took place by October 14, the protest would be postponed.
However, if no meeting was arranged, a significant protest would proceed on October 15.
'NO DECISION YET'
Earlier, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qasir has said the party has not so far decided to hold a protest at Islamabad’s D-Chowk on October 15.
Those participating in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit are our guests and we welcome them, the PTI leader said.
Talking to a private TV channel, the PTI stalwart said the party leaders should be allowed to meet the party’s founder in jail, adding they were concerned about the health of PTI founder Imran Khan.
We demand that doctors should be given permission to have a meeting with Imran Khan on his health. Having access to our leader is our constitutional right, Asad Qasir said.
“We do not want to hold protests, but our workers and MPs are being picked and harassed. Raids are being conducted on the houses of MNAs.
“We are forced to go for demonstrations. I demand stop highhandedness against the PTI workers. We want peace. If you don’t stop oppression against us, then declare there is a martial law in the country,” Asad Qasir lamented.