PTI founder and ex-prime minister Imran Khan has announced a “grand gathering” in Peshawar on December 13 to “pay homage to the martyrs” killed during the party’s recent rally in Islamabad.

On November 13, incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan issued a “final call” for nationwide protests on November 24, demanding the restoration of the PTI’s electoral mandate, the release of detained party members, and the reversal of the 26th Amendment, which he said had strengthened a “dictatorial regime”.

A day of pitched battles between security forces and PTI protesters across the federal capital ended in a hasty retreat of the party’s top leadership and supporters from the Red Zone in the early hours of November 27.

The PTI claimed that at least 12 party supporters died in Islamabad as a result of firing by law enforcement agencies (LEAs) during the party’s ‘final call’ protest. The government has repeatedly refuted the allegations, asserting that security personnel were deployed “without live ammunition”.

In his latest message, shared on his X account, Imran lamented that party supporters had been killed “as a result of state terrorism”, adding that a “dictatorship has been established in the country”.

“Hundreds of our workers are missing,” Imran said. “The Supreme Court should now take notice of this and play its constitutional role.

“We approached the Supreme Court, Lahore High Court and Islamabad High Court for serious violations of human rights, but no action was taken by the courts and the country has reached this point!” he added.

Imran’s latest message not only announced the rally but also the formation of a five-member negotiation team comprising Omar Ayub Khan, Ali Amin Gandapur, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Salman Akram Raja and Asad Qaiser.

This team will negotiate with the federal government on two points: the release of political prisoners facing trial and the formation of a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9, 2023 and November 26.

“If these two demands are not accepted, civil disobedience movement will be started from December 14,” Imran warned. “The government will be responsible for the results of this movement.”