After the protest ended as a result of the Rangers and police operation in Islamabad, Bushra Bibi, wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur and Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan reached Mansehra.
The three leaders are present at the residence of Provincial Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, while Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi will hold a press conference today.
PTI announces postponement of protest
Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had announced to end the protest in Islamabad, justifying the government operation.
In a message on social media ‘X’, the PTI spokesperson said that in view of the government’s brutality and the government’s plan to turn the capital into a slaughterhouse for unarmed civilians, we are announcing the postponement of the peaceful protest for the time being.
The statement further said that the party’s political and core committee will brief the arrested founding chairman Imran Khan on state brutality, after which a future course of action will be announced in the light of his instructions.
The statement issued by the spokesperson condemned the killing of peaceful protesters in the name of operation, terrorism and barbarity.
PTI has appealed to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi to take notice of the alleged killing of party workers and has requested legal action against the Prime Minister, Interior Minister and Punjab IG Police for attempted murder.
On the other hand, the Attock Bridge connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab has been closed again to arrest PTI leaders and workers.
Containers have been re-installed to block the road at Attock Khurd, while a heavy contingent of police has been re-deployed on the Rabita Bridge connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
Meanwhile, Rawalpindi Police has arrested more than 400 miscreants in a grand operation against the miscreants involved in the arson attack.
According to the police spokesperson, a large quantity of weapons, ammunition, wireless communication equipment, slings and ball bearings have also been recovered from the suspects.
The spokesperson said that around 800 miscreants have been arrested across Punjab, the suspects are involved in attacking the police, vandalism and arson at various places.
It should be noted that after a joint operation by Rangers and police around D Chowk, Blue Area and Jinnah Avenue in Islamabad late last night, the leaders and workers of the PTI had dispersed, while the PTI had announced to end the protest.
The workers had expressed their anger at the PTI leadership for retreating from D Chowk, during which a container specially prepared by the PTI for the protest caught fire.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, in a late-night media interview, alleged that the PTI had planned to target important government figures, and that the Kantir itself had been set on fire to destroy evidence. He also announced a forensic analysis of the documents found in the Kantir.
