ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday said that PTI’s announcement to hold public gatherings across the country was a mere “political stunt” as former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan was trying to divert attention from his theft, Geo.tv reported.

In a statement, the interior minister said Mr Khan will suffer defeat during the upcoming by-elections on all the nine National Assembly seats that fell vacant after the NA speaker accepted the resignations of PTI MNAs.

Commenting on the inquiry launched by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in prohibited funding received by the PTI, the minister warned that whoever will not cooperate with the FIA will be arrested.

Without giving a date, Mr Sanaullah also said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan ahead of general elections in 2023.

On Saturday, the PTI’s political committee decided to hold a power show in Islamabad on Aug 13. The decision was taken at a meeting, chaired by Mr Khan and attended by Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari, Omar Ayub, Saifullah Niazi and others.

Reacting to Mr Sanaullah’s statement, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry warned the interior minister to refrain from issuing statements against the PTI chairman.

“Your [Mr Sanaullah’s] value is not more than an SHO of Kohsar police station,” Geo.tv reported while quoting Mr Chaudhry.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2022