PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA Asad Qaisar said here on Wednesday that the entire world saw the state’s crackdown on “unarmed” protesters, adding that never ever had this happened in the country’s history.

While talking to media outside the Peshawar High Court, he said the federal government’s actions contradicted the Constitution, which gave the people the right to hold peaceful protests.

Mr Qaisar said PTI was left with no choice but to agitate as the party’s founding chairman Imran Khan and other leaders and workers were “illegally” imprisoned.

He claimed that Islamabad had become a no-go-area for Pakhtuns.

Mr Qaisar said they always abided by the law, asking the political parties to raise voice against the “illegitimate” government in Islamabad.

On the occasion, Senator Shibli Faraz alleged that 12 PTI workers were martyred in the Islamabad protest.

He asserted that workers of PTI, which was the “most popular” political party, were being treated as if they were not the Pakistani citizens.

How would Pakistan develop if its citizens are unsafe “at the hands of the state”, he remarked.

Former MNA Zartaj Gul said that PTI’s mandate was stolen and the party was stopped from holding protest for release of its founder and against the 26th Constitutional Amendment.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2024