PTI founder Imran Khan issued a stern warning to the government

Islamabad: Imran Khan, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has warned the government that if his fundamental demands are not met, he will begin a campaign of civil disobedience on December 14.

According to The Express Tribune, the declaration comes after the alleged failure of PTI‘s recent “do-or-die” demonstration, which was intended to secure his release and rally public support for the party.

A five-member negotiation committee has been established to engage the federal government on two crucial issues, Khan said in a statement posted on X: the release of “political prisoners” who are awaiting trial and the creation of a judicial commission to look into the violent crackdowns on PTI supporters during the May 9, 2023, protests and the November 26 crackdown in Islamabad.

“If these two demands are not accepted, a civil disobedience movement will be launched from December 14,” Khan said, highlighting the gravity of his demands and warning that the government will be held accountable for the consequences of such action.

Khan has also demanded that a “grand gathering” be held in Peshawar on December 13 to honor the “martyrs” who were slain during the PTI demonstration in Islamabad. According to The Express Tribune, he claimed that many PTI employees are still unaccounted for and petitioned the Supreme Court to address purported human rights abuses.

To address what he sees as injustices against his party members, Khan called for legal involvement. “We approached the Supreme Court, Lahore, and Islamabad high courts over serious violations of human rights, but no action was taken,” he said.

According to Geo News, Rana Sanaullah, Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Advisor on Political Affairs, accused PTI leadership on December 5 of disseminating “propaganda against the state” and deceiving the people in order to incite demonstrations.

Sanaullah’s comments coincided with the federal government and PTI apologizing to each other for the violence that occurred during PTI’s demonstrations in Islamabad in November, which resulted in the deaths of four security officers.

According to the PTI, 1,000 party members were arrested and at least 12 were murdered during the demonstration. Nonetheless, the administration has refuted claims that it used live fire on protesters, escalating Pakistan’s already-existing political unrest.