ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has declared May 25 as the darkest day in the country’s political history, alleging that on the day two years ago, the state unleashed its full fury on peaceful marchers led by PTI founding chairman Imran Khan, subjecting them to tear gas, rubber bullets, and batons for hours.

A spokesperson for PTI, in a statement, said Imran Khan had launched a Haqiqi Azadi (real freedom) movement two years ago and took out a peaceful rally, aiming to establish supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law in the country.

The spokesperson said that the state’s fascist tendencies peaked on May 25, 2022, when the participants of Azadi March were brutally treated and subjected to a reign of terror, in clear violation of the Constitution and law.

On May 24, 2022, Imran Khan announced a long march to Islamabad, which was set to begin on May 25. He led the march from Peshawar, but the protesters were stopped in Attock, preventing them from reaching the capital.

Party moves IHC against CDA raid on its central secretariat

The spokesperson alleged that on May 25, 2022, human rights were violated nationwide, homes were raided, women and children were harassed, and PTI leaders and workers were arrested and taken away.

He said two PTI workers were martyred, and dozens injured; besides, their properties were destroyed and homes ransacked. He alleged that the state machinery tried its best to push the country towards a civil war; however, it was Imran Khan who, despite facing and enduring all the state atrocities, held high the flag of peace and saved the country from internal turmoil and chaos.

The PTI spokesperson lamented that under the pretext of a “false flag operation” on May 9, party’s senior leaders, including women, and over 10,000 workers were rounded up and imprisoned. He went on to say that the state was still engaged in extrajudicial and illegal activities, while Imran Khan and PTI were continuously targeted with violence and revenge.

Pakistan needs stability, which can only be achieved by ensuring supremacy of the Constitution and law, he asserted, demanding an immediate end to the state oppression and release of Imran Khan to provide effective leadership to the country and nation before the crisis further aggravated and the situation reached a point of no return.

IHC moved against CDA raid

The PTI on Saturday approached the Islamabad High Court against Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) raid on the party’s central secretariat.

The CDA earlier this week demolished what it claimed were the encroachments and sealed the party’s secretariat.

In its petition filed by PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub through Advocate Shoaib Shaheen, the party termed the operation and sealing of its secretariat at Sector G-8/4, Islamabad, “without having lawful authority, mala fidely, political victimisation, without adopting due process of law and contrary to the provisions as enunciated under the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973”.

As per the petition, Arshad Dad and Naseem ur Rehman, both members of PTI Central Finance Board, through an agreement dated 17.07.2020, purchased commercial plot No.1-A, measuring/size 30 X 48, 160 square yards situated at Shopping Centre, Sector G-8/4-2, Islamabad, from Sartaj Ali.

Ali, the seller, then wrote a letter dated 29.07.2020, to the Capital Development Authority for transfer of allotment of plot, the CDA vide letter dated 30.07.2020 after considering the request, allotted/transferred plot in the name of PTI.

However, on May 23, 2024, at about 11:15pm, the petitioner through electronic media came to know that the CDA in connivance with Islamabad police, was demolishing the PTI’s head office situated at the said plot.

When the petitioner asked the CDA and police officials to show any order or notice pertaining to encroachment which had ever been issued to him, the CDA and police officials, instead of paying the heed towards petitioner’s request for showing any order or notice, started demolishing the PTI’s head office, which is illegal, stated the petition.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2024