MUZAFFARABAD: A staunch loyalist of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday announced the launching of “Free Imran Khan Committee” in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) for efforts within the country as well as outside with the help of diaspora community to press the authorities for release of PTI’s founding chairman and former prime minister of Pakistan.

Khawaja Atif Bashir said since Mr Khan had fearlessly and religiously highlighted the cause of Kashmir at every international forum it was incumbent upon the Kashmiris to play a vigorous role for his release.

“I have formed this committee to provide a platform to young PTI loyalists of Kashmiri origin to organise different activities within the state as well as abroad to raise voice for the release of the towering leader of Muslim Ummah,” he said.

He said initially UK based Hassan Shiba Naqvi had been appointed as committee’s secretary general to give membership to the overseas Kashmiris.

“Soon, other office-bearers of the committee will be picked from amongst the PTI members in other parts of the state and overseas,” he said.

He announced that from the committee’s platform, protest camps and rallies would be held in all AJK cities and towns to apprise the public of the worst ever vendetta against the PTI founding chairman on the one hand and involve them in campaigning for his release on the other. Mr Bashir said Imran Khan was a patriotic leader and the politics of truth was his legacy.

That’s the reason the nation gave an overwhelmingly historic mandate to the PTI in the recently held and stolen general elections in Pakistan, notwithstanding all pre-election machinations. He said Mr Khan was the only political leader of Pakistan whose posters and banners were displayed in occupied Kashmir.

“Imran Khan is a principled politician, who does not believe in the politics of deals. Neither will he pretend illness nor accept the offer to quit the country,” he said, adding the rulers and decision makers in Pakistan would soon bow to public pressure and release their popular leader.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2024