September 27 march: Gohar warns against potential use of force against PTI workers

Islamabad saw an impending protest on September 27 as Gohar Ali Khan, the acting chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), cautioned against any use of force. Khan assured the gathered reporters that the march would be peaceful and constitutionally compliant, urging the Punjab government to refrain from arresting or harassing PTI workers.

He specifically highlighted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi's role in maintaining order, while urging Rana Sanaullah, the prime minister's advisor on political affairs, not to obstruct the planned mobilisation.

Khan emphasized that the party's workers were en route to Islamabad to seek justice and stressed that the time for resorting to violence had passed. He urged dialogue and reconciliation, stating that differences of opinion are a necessary part of democracy and that resorting to confrontation would only exacerbate tensions. Khan further called on the government to permit PTI leaders and their family members to meet with the jailed PTI founding chairman, Imran Khan, in a bid to reconcile differences.

The PTI, however, accused the Punjab government of a pre-emptive crackdown on its leaders, workers, and supporters ahead of the march. PTI spokesman Sheikh Waqas Akram alleged numerous police raids and arrests, as well as the imposition of restrictions on party members. These claims included police checkpoints outside PTI leaders’ residences and the raid or sealing of several private homes and Deras.

Akram also criticized the alleged use of the Maintenance of Public Order (3-MPO) law against PTI workers, claiming that around 700 individuals were detained prior to the protest.

Akram also criticized remarks attributed to Sanaullah, deeming them provocative and potentially exacerbating an already tense political climate. The PTI demanded that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz respect the party’s right to peaceful political activity and stop employing coercive measures against its supporters. The party reiterated its commitment to the peaceful and constitutional nature of the September 27 rally, urging its members to maintain discipline and refrain from confrontation.