TTAP to 'fully participate' in PTI's Oct 4 protest
ISLAMABAD: Opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) said on Monday it would “fully participate” in the PTI’s protest that had been rescheduled to Oct 4.
The PTI has announced a nationwide protest, including a march to Islamabad, to demand the release of former prime minister and party founder Imran Khan. The protest was originally scheduled for Sept 27 but was postponed to Oct 4 last week.
The leadership of the TTAP, which includes the PTI, was not fully on board with the decision to delay the march. However, once the decision was taken, they agreed to abide by it, but made it clear that they would not own the decision.
A statement released by TTAP spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai appeared to be implying the same.
“The PTI is part of the opposition alliance and and the call for the Sept 27 protest unanimously declared as a joint call of the opposition alliance in a TTAP meeting,” he recounted.
In that meeting, he continued, a strategy was also finalised regarding protests in Sindh and Balochistan while detailed consultations on it were also been held with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and the PTI leadership.
“The KP CM clearly stated that the decision regarding Sept 27 was of the PTI’s political committee. Before the decision’s announcement, [PTI Chairperson] Barrister Gohar Ali Khan visited the opposition leaders and it was clearly communicated to him that every single day after Sept 27 is crucial for us and this time will not come again,” Yousafzai’s statement said.
Noting that the PTI had now postponed its protest to Oct 4, he added that the TTAP would “fully participate” in it.
“In the current situation, this time is extremely important for Pakistan’s democratic future, the supremacy of the Constitution and the protection of political rights,” he stated.
While announcing the new date for the march, the KP CM had said the PTI’s allies had been informed of the party’s decision.
A PTI leader had told Dawn at the time that CM Afridi contacted TTAP Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai, who is also the opposition leader in the National Assembly, to inform him about the postponement. The opposition leader, however, said that when the date for the march was not discussed with him, why should he give his input on the postponement, the source had revealed.
Yousufzai had confirmed to Dawn that the KP CM contacted Achakzai and said that upon being informed that the march would be postponed due to some administrative and logistic issues, both Achakzai and Opposition Leader in the Senate Raja Nasir Abbas had suggested that the party should stick to their original plan, but later relented, saying that they would respect the party’s decision, even though they did not endorse it.
“As the PTI is our partner, we will support them for the Oct 4 march,” he had said.
