Pakistan Crisis: Intense criticism directed at the PTI leadership after the failure of its protest in Islamabad, which aimed to secure Khan’s release but ended without achieving its objectives
Our Bureau
Islamabad/Lahore
On the intervening night on Monday and Tuesday, when the PTI’s protesters defied orders and marched towards the country’s capital, the security forces dispersed them, as per Al Jazeera. The act resulted in casualties and injuries on both sides.
The PTI supporters marched from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into Islamabad. Their protest had three demands: reclaiming the party’s “stolen mandate” from the February elections, the release of political prisoners including Imran Khan and the reversal of the ‘constitutional amendment’ granting the government control over judicial appointments.
The march was organized on Imran Kahn’s wife Bushra Bibi’s prodding. Now, Maryam Riaz Wattoo, the sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, said in an interview with ARY News that Bushra Bibi was disappointed with the party leadership after the protest failed on Tuesday.
Wattoo told ARY News that Bushra Bibi attended the PTI’s political committee meeting uninvited.
Bushra Bibi was disappointed with the party’s leadership and questioned their absence at D Chowk in Islamabad during the rally, Wattoo told ARY News. She added that the party leaders left Bushra Bibi when she needed them. She added that she had a telephonic conversation with Bushra Bibi a day after she was allegedly taken to an undisclosed location in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The development came after reports emerged that Bushra Bibi used inappropriate language with party leaders. ARY News revealed that PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and other senior leaders resigned after Pakistan’s former first lady addressed them in an appropriate manner in a heated meeting.
Bushra Bibi allegedly used harsh words including “beghairat” and “vultures,” to describe the PTI leaders in a party meeting of 10 leaders held prior to the November 26 rally in Islamabad.
Salman Akram Raja on Thursday resigned from the post of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General following the Islamabad protest, ARY News reported. He submitted his resignation to PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan.
Meanwhile, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, head of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), announced his resignation on Thursday from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Core Committee and Political Committee, amid rising tensions within the party following its retreat from Islamabad’s D-Chowk, ARY News reported.
Sources said that Sahibzada Hamid Raza is also planning to resign from his position as a member of the National Assembly. The SIC chief is expected to formally tender his resignation to PTI founder Imran Khan during their upcoming meeting.
This move comes amid intense criticism directed at the PTI leadership after the failure of its protest in Islamabad, which aimed to secure Khan’s release but ended without achieving its objectives.
PTI has faced severe backlash after party workers were forced to retreat from D-Chowk. The authorities launched a crackdown on PTI supporters, resulting in hundreds of arrests and a broader crackdown on the party, reported ARY News.
Questions have been raised over the absence of key party leaders during the D-Chowk protest, with discontent growing within PTI’s ranks.
Sahibzada Hamid Raza’s resignation follows the departure of PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, who stepped down earlier amid similar criticism of the party leadership.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed receiving Raja’s resignation. Sources indicate that these resignations may prompt more departures from the party in the near future, adding to the internal unrest.
Meanwhile, PTI’s political committee held a meeting in Islamabad to discuss the fallout from the D-Chowk protest. The committee reviewed the situation and deliberated on potential legal measures following reports of alleged casualties during the demonstrations, ARY News reported.
The meeting highlighted the challenges PTI faces as it navigates escalating internal discord and public criticism.
With growing unrest within the party and criticism mounting from its supporters, PTI’s leadership is under pressure to address concerns and regain its footing amid this turbulent period.
