HYDERABAD: Charged workers of Pakistan Teh­reek-i-Insaf (PTI) staged rallies and demonstrations in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Lakrana, Kandh­kot, Mir­pur­khas, Umerkot and several smaller towns on Friday to protest murderous attack on the party chairman Imran Khan during a long march in Wazirabad, Punjab, a day before.

In Hyderabad, PTI activists held a demonstration at Hyder Chowk where the administration had deployed police following reports about PTI’s plan to stage protest after Friday prayers.

The activists raised slogans against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and coalition government and said that Imran Khan was the most popular leader of the country and an attack on his life was tantamount to attack on Pakistan.

They said the party could not tolerate it and would send this ‘imported’ government packing soon. The protesters dispersed peacefully after the demonstration.

In Sukkur, PTI workers blocked a section of the National highway during the protest and said that the government could not stop their peaceful struggle by any means. Similar protests were staged in Kandhkot and Tangwani.

In Larkana, PTI workers and lawyers associated with the party marched on main roads before assembling outside press club where the party leaders accused the ‘imported’ government of resorting to cowardly tactics to stop the long march.

They demanded the government launch a thorough probe into the attack and find out masterminds of the assassination attempt on the party leader.

In Mirpurkhas, party workers held a demonstration outside the local press club where their leaders condemned the ‘imported’ government and termed the attack a conspiracy against Imran Khan.

They said that the government must accept Imran Khan’s demand of fresh general election in the country.

PTI workers in Digri also staged a demonstration outside the town’s press club.

In Umerkot, PTI activists staged a rally and demonstration against the assassination attempt on Mr Khan. Carrying banners, placards, flags and portraits of their leader, they chanted slogans against Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and demanded the government immediately arrest the masterminds of the murderous attack and award them exemplary punishment.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2022