A senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader has suggested that the party could postpone its September 27 protest if the government accepts three key demands.
PTI lawyer Naeem Haider Panjutha told Dawn that the party could consider delaying the protest if the government provides clear assurances.
The demands include elections within six to eight months, the release of Imran Khan and other political prisoners, and judicial inquiries into the May 9 and November 26 events.
Panjutha said the party wants a clear commitment on early elections. He also called for the release of political prisoners through due process and the courts.
He further demanded judicial probes into the events of May 9 and November 26. Panjutha said the march could be postponed if the government accepts all three demands.
However, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram said no such proposal was currently under discussion in the party. He said previous conditions had been withdrawn on Imran Khan’s instructions.
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Waqas said the PTI had received no concrete offer from the government. He added that only Imran Khan could decide whether to postpone the march.
The issue was also discussed during a meeting between PTI leaders and the opposition alliance in the Senate. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar met Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.
The meeting covered preparations for the September 27 protest. The participants also discussed political developments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and concerns over provincial autonomy.
Rangers deployed ahead of protest
The federal government has approved the deployment of Pakistan Rangers in Islamabad and several Punjab districts ahead of the planned PTI march.
According to an Interior Ministry notification, the deployment will remain in place from September 20 to October 5. The move covers Islamabad Capital Territory and several districts of Punjab.
Punjab has also sought Rangers deployment in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali. The provincial government cited law-and-order concerns ahead of the September 27 protest.
The government has also imposed Section 144 in Islamabad. The restrictions prohibit gatherings, rallies, processions and demonstrations in the capital.
Punjab has separately imposed Section 144 across the province for 13 days. Officials cited concerns over public safety and the possible impact of large gatherings.
The Punjab government has also requested restrictions on mobile and internet services at selected locations in Rawalpindi and Attock on September 27.
The PTI has announced its September 27 protest to demand the release of Imran Khan. The party has also called for constitutional and political reforms.
With the protest date approaching, statements from PTI leaders indicate differences over whether any government proposal could change the march plans. Panjutha has outlined conditions for a possible delay, while Waqas has maintained that only Imran Khan can make that decision.
