PESHAWAR: PTI activists on Tuesday took to the streets across the province to protest the killing of a party worker during a Faisalabad rally against election rigging.

In the capital city, PTI workers marched from the Peshawar Press Club to the Governor’s House holding placards and shouting slogans against the PML-N governments in Punjab and centre over Faisalabad violence.

Some protesters tried to storm the Governor’s House but leaders stopped them.

Says protest to continue until judicial panel to probe poll rigging formed

Adviser to the chief minister Sardar Soran Singh, special adviser Professor Meher Taj Roghani, lawmakers Hamidul Haq, Ayesha Gulalai, Yasin Khan Khalil, Arbab Jandad Khan, Fazl Elahi and local PTI leaders led the rally, where participants kept shouting ‘go Nawaz go’ slogan.

Not only the speakers demanded immediate arrest of the killer(s) of the Faisalabad party worker for exemplary punishment but they also asked the government to agree to formation of a judicial commission to probe the charge of the 2013 election rigging. They said the party’s countrywide protest would continue until the probe commission was formed.

The speakers criticised political parties supporting the Nawaz Sharif government and said those parties had thrown weight behind a government, which, they too alleged, had come into being after ‘winning rigged’ elections.

They said PTI workers had the legal right to protest but opening fire on them, especially when they’re unarmed and non-violent, was unlawful and therefore, the perpetrators should be dealt with strictly.

The speakers also demanded the prime minister to step down.

PTI leaders from North Waziristan Agency Abdul Qayyum and Tariq Dawar also participated in the rally and said Imran Khan was the only political leader, who could resolve the problems facing tribal population.

They said tribesmen had rendered great sacrifices for the country but the federal government hadn’t come to their help during the current times of crisis.

In Chakdara, too, PTI workers staged a rally against Faisalabad violence.

PTI district president Fakhruzzaman led protesters, who later blocked the Chakdara-Timergara Road shouting slogans against the PML-N governments in Punjab and centre.

The speakers, including the PTI district president, Adenzai president Ihsanullah, ISF Lower Dir president Rizwan Khan and general secretary Sohail Khan, condemned the killing of party worker in Faisalabad and demanded the immediate arrest of killer(s) for strict punishment.

They said their party would continue with peaceful protest until a judicial commission was formed to probe election rigging.

The protesters later dispersed peacefully.

A large number of college students participated in the rally.

Also in the day, PTI activists took to the streets in Swabi against the killing of a Faisalabad worker.

PTI district president Anwar Haqdad Khan and general secretary Yousaf Ali led protesters, who marched from the party’s district office to Karnal Sher Khan Chowk.

Anwar told protesters that in general, the people had realised that PML-N had formed government in the centre and Punjab as a result of massively rigged elections and therefore, it had lost the right to continue in power.

He said PTI workers were attacked in Faisalabad though they carried no arms and were only protested poll rigging.

The PTI leader demanded strict action against the killers of a party worker in Faisalabad.

In Charssada too, PTI activists protested Faisalabad violence.

Shouting ‘go Nawaz go’ slogans, protesters marched on various roads before gathering at Farooq Azam Chowk.

The speakers, including PTI provincial vice president Dr Nadeem Alam, MPA Arif Ahmedzai, central leader Mukarram Shah Kakakhel and district president Zahoro Khan, condemned the killing of a party worker in Faisalabad and said the PML-N government couldn’t stop PTI from campaigning for change, by using violence.

They said the PML-N government was frustrated by the growing popularity of PTI, so it was using force against peaceful workers during rallies.

In Batkhela, PTI staged two rallies to protest the killing of its worker in Faisalabad.

One rally led by MNA Junaid Akbar and MPA Shakeel Khan began at the Malakand Press Club and ended at Zafar Park, where funeral of the slain worker in absentia was offered. The other rally was led by senior district vice presidents of PTI Sikandar Hayat and Mohammad Rasool.

Also in the day, PTI and Insaf Student Federation protested Faisalabad violence in Lakki Marwat.

They marched from Abid Ali Shaheed Chowk to Qazi Ashfaq Chowk before blocking the key Bannu-Mianwali Road.

The protesters burnt old tyres and shouted ‘go Nawaz go’ slogan.

The speakers, including PTI MNA Ameerullah Khan Marwat, district president Saleem Nawaz, ISF president Fareed Toofan and general secretary Faheem, criticised the PML-N government for using force against peaceful PTI protesters.

The MNA asked the Supreme Court chief justice to take a suo moto notice of Faisalabad violence to ensure punishment of perpetrators.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2014