Only PTI Founder Can Postpone September 27 March, Says Senate Opposition Leader

Mr. Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, the Leader of the Opposition in Pakistan’s Senate, said only PTI founder Mr. Imran Khan has the authority to postpone the nationwide protest planned for September 27. PTI has called for nationwide protests, including a long march toward Islamabad, demanding Mr. Imran Khan’s release and the restoration of constitutional supremacy. The opposition alliance Tehreek e Tahaffuz e Ain e Pakistan, TTAP, has pledged its support for PTI in this protest.

In a post on his X account, Mr. Abbas said that when Interior Minister Mr. Mohsin Naqvi contacted him, Mr. Naqvi made clear that only Mr. Imran Khan could postpone the September 27 protest. Mr. Abbas wrote that Mr. Imran cannot be left out of the process.

TTAP spokesperson Mr. Akhunzada Hussain Ahmed Yousafzai told the newspaper Dawn that the meeting on September 14 took place at Mr. Naqvi’s request. Mr. Abbas and PTI Chairman Mr. Gohar Ali Khan attended on behalf of the opposition side.

At a press conference, Mr. Abbas said Mr. Naqvi came to meet them and that they made their position clear, that no one can postpone the September 27 march without a meeting with Mr. Imran Khan. He stressed that Mr. Imran Khan cannot be left out and that they will not allow him to be excluded.

Mr. Abbas said ensuring basic facilities for the public and protecting constitutional rights are important matters. He noted that even a senior federal minister has admitted the country’s governance system has broken down.

TTAP leader and former Governor of Sindh Mr. Mohammad Zubair said there is a huge gap between the lifestyle of the ruling elite and the economic hardship faced by ordinary citizens. He claimed that poverty, unemployment, and inflation have all risen compared to four and a half years ago, and that electricity prices have increased two to three times over.

PTI leader and former KP Finance Minister Mr. Taimur Saleem Jhagra criticized government spending. He questioned the purchase of a jet plane worth 10 billion rupees and the cost of official and personal travel, and criticized the lack of support for the public amid rising fuel prices.

On Friday, Mr. Naqvi announced that the government would take all necessary measures to stop anyone from marching toward the federal capital. He warned that contempt of court proceedings would begin against anyone who defies a recent Islamabad High Court ruling. That ruling described actions that violate citizens’ basic rights as a breach of the constitution, while also noting that political parties have the right to protest within the bounds of the constitution and the law.

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mr. Sohail Afridi met with Mr. Abbas and National Assembly Opposition Leader Mr. Mahmood Khan Achakzai to discuss the protest program. TTAP said on X that the meeting included detailed political discussion on the September 27 program and a review of future strategy, political tactics, and how to advance the democratic struggle.

The same three leaders had also met on Thursday, shortly after Mr. Afridi returned from his visit to Punjab. As part of PTI’s preparations, Mr. Afridi toured Sindh and Punjab to organize supporters. During his Punjab visit, he alleged that authorities in Lahore had abducted him and later left him by the roadside, and that a man had been sent to kill him. The Punjab government rejected this claim. Wazirabad police said the person Mr. Afridi accused was in fact a police constable assigned to the KP Chief Minister’s security detail.

Ahead of PTI’s march toward the capital, the Rawalpindi and Islamabad administrations began preparations last week. These steps include requests to detain party workers, arranging containers, seeking additional personnel, and procuring anti riot equipment. Source: Dawn Online.