Why Imran Khan decided to convene core committee meeting in Peshawar

ISLAMABAD: In contrast to his commitment, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan, who is asking his supporters to march towards Islamabad for forcing the government to accept their demands, failed to announce the final date for the Islamabad march during the Multan rally.

However, he promised to decide the final date for the Islamabad march after putting the matter in the core-committee meeting to be held in Peshawar on Sunday.

Convening the core-committee meeting in Peshawar instead of Islamabad against the party’s tradition gave rise to the speculation of presence of an important military personality deputed in Peshawar.

The PTI strategy also lends credence to the notion that by staying in Peshawar prior to the long march, the PTI chief and core-committee members will evade the crackdown as they will have the support of provincial government and “safe hands”.

During the night of Friday and Saturday, speculations of Imran Khan’s arrest were doing the round in the capital city. Besides, the PTI claimed that large contingents of police were seen involved in suspicious movements near Bani Gala along with a prison van though the most important inhabitant of Bani Gala was staying that night in Peshawar.

However, the police clarified the deployment of police personnel around Bani Gala was in view of the security threat to the former prime minister.

In this regard, the former interior minister had claimed during the last days of PTI government that Imran Khan would be arrested after the success of no-confidence motion. He also said the new appointments were made on the key positions in Islamabad and Rawalpindi police. He also claimed the PTI workers and leaders will be arrested on a large-scale and the lists have been finalized.

Prima facie, a crackdown against PTI leadership and workers seems to be out of question in the backdrop of economic crisis, instability and current uncertain situation.

When insisted, one of the ministers of the PPP, while talking in an unconventional manner, said that he could not comment on Imran Khan but the person, who is repeatedly expressing concern about his arrest, should rather worry about himself.

The PPP minister said the former interior minister, instead of making ridiculous claims of making Imran Khan Prime Minister, should worry about his own political future.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Dr Shireen Mazari’s arrest on Saturday remained the media’s centre of attention the whole day, which Sheikh Rashid termed the beginning of arrest of the PTI leaders.

The first reaction to the PTI leader’s arrest was that the government had started victimising the active parliamentarians belonging to the opposition, while another perception was that Dr Shireen Marazi was arrested for criticising the dissident lawmakers in the past when the no-confidence motion was being moved against former prime minister Imran Khan. She had lambasted those PTI lawmakers who had stayed in the Sindh House, claiming that one minority member was housed in comfortable “safe house”; however, it was revealed that there was another reason behind her arrest but since the country’s political culture is rife with the old tradition of inflicting revenge on political and ideological opponents and protecting own supporters, therefore, the people rushed to think that the arrest might be the result of political victimization.

After graduating from the London School of Economics and Colombia University, Dr Shireen Mazari also remained associated to the field of journalism. Later, she joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and was elected as an MNA from Punjab in 2013 and 2018. She also served as human rights minister during the previous PTI-led government, while her services are also acknowledged abroad.

It is also possible that the police may have justification for her arrest but the way adopted to arrest her, was tragic and condemnable and it brought a bad name to the government.

It is pertinent to mention here that Dr Shireen Mazari was the first to raise concerns regarding the ailing health of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, as claimed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan on several occasions. Therefore, arresting her in such a manner did not go down well with the people.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz Sharif ordered the concerned authorities to ensure her immediate release and launch an investigation against those anti-corruption officials who were involved in the PTI leader’s arrest, which was hailed as a good step.