Qureshi, Asad to ‘surrender’ as PTI kicks off ‘Jail Bharo’ movement today

LAHORE: In the first phase of the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf’s “Jail Bharo Tehreek (court arrest movement)” starting today (February 22), the party’s senior leaders, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar have voluntarily decided to surrender to authorities, according to Fawad Chaudhry.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the PTI’s senior vice-president said that PTI Vice-Chairman Qureshi and PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar had announced voluntary surrendering to the law enforcers.

In the wake of sedition cases filed against his party leaders, including Fawad Chaudhry, Azam Swati, and Shahbaz Gill, PTI Chairman Imran Khan on February 4 had announced “Jail Bharo Tehreek.”

Fawad welcomed a statement reportedly issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that the body was “ready to hold elections in 90 days.”

He termed the announcement “a right step in the right direction.”

In the same breath, the PTI leader said that President Arif Alvi had set April 9 as the date for the general election in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a move rejected by the ruling alliance, and added that the date could not be changed as per the Election Act and the Constitution.

A day after the ECP excused itself from holding consultations with President Alvi on polls in the provinces, the head of state had announced holding elections in the two provinces on April 9.

Moving toward the upcoming elections in the country, the PTI leader said that the party would start allocating tickets to the candidates next week. When Khan joins the PTI in one and a half weeks, the party’s election campaign will reach a climax.

Chaudhry said that Khan has directed the party to kickstart preparations for the upcoming elections. He urged the PTI’s candidates to launch election campaigns in their respective constituencies.

The PTI would launch a countrywide public awareness campaign, he added.

Referring to the National Accountability Court’s (NAC) notices to the PTI leadership in the Toshakhana scam, Fawad said that the anti-graft watchdog’s chairman has exposed the government by tendering his resignation.

Referring to Khan’s appearance in the Lahore High Court (LHC) a day earlier, Fawad said that the way the workers welcomed the PTI chairman has triggered uneasiness among the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government.

PTI Lahore chapter President Imtiaz Shaikh announced that former Punjab governor Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Waleed Iqbal, Murad Raas, Muhammad Khan Madni, and Fawad Rasool, accompanied by 200 workers, will voluntarily surrender themselves to the authorities in the metropolis tomorrow.

“Jail Bharo Tehreek” will begin from Lahore’s Charing Cross at 2 p.m., he added.

PTI leader Azhar, for his part, blasts the coalition government over the Finance (Supplemental) Bill 2023.

A day earlier, the National Assembly had unanimously approved the government’s much-needed “mini-budget”—a move mandatory for seeking a $1.1 billion tranche of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan.

In response to the move, the former finance minister stated that the bill was sailed through the NA in violation of both the law and the Constitution.

Slamming Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, the PTI leader said that he had brought the country to the verge of economic collapse.

He termed the IMF deal “a tactic to avoid default.” Azhar criticised the ruling alliance over rising inflation in the country.

“Immediate elections are the sole solution to instability,” the PTI leader claimed, and he urged the ECP to announce a date for the polls.

Amid rising inflation, an economic disaster, violations of the Constitution, and the torture of PTI workers, the party has no other option but to resort to court arrest, said Azhar.

Meanwhile, Fawad Chaudhry said that a new leader of the opposition in the National Assembly should be appointed before the selection of a new National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman.

Fawad said the opposition leader in the National Assembly should belong to the PTI.

“We want that the leader of the opposition to be appointed first, and through his consultation, the NAB chairman should be appointed,” said Fawad.

The former information minister said that no one would accept Leader of the Opposition Raja Riaz’s consultation as “everyone knows he is a lota (turncoat) and the only difference between him and Shehbaz Sharif is that of an owner with his slave.”

He added that if the NAB’s chairman is appointed through his consultation, it would be unacceptable as the Lahore High Court (LHC) has already suspended the PTI lawmakers’ resignations.

Speaking about the cases against party leaders, the PTI vice-president said that they want to strengthen the judicial system.

He said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) has started a campaign against five Panama judges, and the Supreme Court should take notice.

“We have decided to go whenever the court calls us,” he added. Fawad also said that the party wants Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja to resign as well, adding that he has been offered the president’s post.