Karachi/Lahore/Islamabad: Supporters and activists of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged protests in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and other cities on Saturday for the third day against the attack on PTI Chairman Imran Khan. .
Meanwhile, the federal government directed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to immediately withdraw the ban on telecasting of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s speeches.
In their protest, PTI supporters blocked roads, and burnt tires causing hardship for commuters going home.
PTI chief Imran Khan on Friday urged his supporters to continue protesting against the attack until those who planned the attack resigned from their posts.
In Karachi, PTI leaders and workers took out a protest rally from Nizam Chowrangi to Tibet Centre, which led to a traffic jam on one of the main traffic corridors of the city.
The rally was organized on the call of senior PTI leader Asad Umar who said on his Twitter that protests will be held in all major cities. There will be protest gatherings tomorrow [Saturday] at 5 pm in all cities of Pakistan. The local party organizations will decide the location of the protest in each city.
Hundreds of PTI supporters and activists, including a large number of women activists, reached the Exhibition Chowrangi to protest. They blocked the road and shouted slogans against the federal and provincial governments. The worst traffic jams were witnessed in and around Tazaam Chowrangi. However, a heavy contingent of police used water cannons to control the protesters.
On this occasion PTI Sindh leader Khurram Sherzaman said that people are scared and no one is ready to raise their voice. We will fight for Pakistan under the leadership of Imran Khan, who is dearer to us than our parents. We will never stand against our army.”
Clashes also broke out between PTI workers and the police at the Faizabad Interchange in Rawalpindi when protesters pelted stones at them, in response to which they had to fire teargas shells. PTI workers also blocked the Faizabad Interchange and blocked the traffic coming from Rawalpindi.
Long queues of vehicles were formed while the protesters also shouted slogans against the government. PTI leader Sheikh Rashid Shafiq and former provincial minister Raja Rashid Hafeez also participated in the protest.
According to reports, the protestors also tried to vandalize a petrol pump in Faizabad, but the security guards of the fuel station dispersed them. In Rawat in Islamabad, angry people burnt tires and blocked the GT road due to which the passengers faced difficulties due to traffic jam.
Islamabad police resorted to shelling the protesters as they tried to advance towards the federal capital, forcing the protesters to march back towards Murree Road. Similarly, a demonstration was also held in Attock where the protesters blocked the Bahir interchange.
PTI leader Shafqat Mehmood, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Musrat Jamshed and others addressed the protesters at Liberty Chowk in Lahore.
Protests and sit-ins are ongoing at eight places in the city. Lahore Ring Road is closed for traffic while protesters have also blocked Abdullah Gul Interchange in the city for traffic. A report was compiled by the Provincial Intelligence Center on PTI’s protest, according to which PTI workers are protesting at 32 places across Punjab.
A large number of PTI workers blocked the motorway in Peshawar and suspended traffic.
Similarly, PTI workers protested against the assassination attempt on Imran Khan in Multan and blocked the roads leading to Bilawala Interchange.
The protesters, led by South Punjab PTI Vice President MPA Zain Hussain Qureshi, raised slogans against the murder attack, describing it as a cruel example of state terrorism.
On this occasion, MPA Zain Hussain Qureshi said that the murderous attack on Imran is very worrying and added that despite the passage of 48 hours, the FIR could not be registered. “It is a big question mark,” he said.
Meanwhile, the federal government has directed PEMRA to lift the ban on Imran’s speeches by implementing Section 5 of the PEMRA Act. Information and Broadcasting Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has withdrawn the ban imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority on telecasting Imran Khan’s speeches on television channels.
The minister said in a news statement that the instructions to lift the ban on Imran’s speeches were issued by the Prime Minister to PEMRA as per the law, which gave such powers to the federal government. He said that the Prime Minister issued these instructions by attaching Section 5 to PEMRA.
Maryam Nawaz said that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has also instructed PEMRA to ensure full compliance with Article 19 of the Constitution.
The Federal Minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has established a new tradition by ending the bitter traditions of Imran Khan’s era. He said that we do not believe what Imran Khan did to Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and other political leaders during his four-year rule. The federal minister said that the federal government under the leadership of Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif fully believes in democratic principles and the constitutional right to freedom of expression. He said that it was Imran Khan who imposed restrictions on his political opponents, leaders, workers and media.
He said that Imran Khan is free to tell lies against his opponents. The federal minister said that Imran Khan’s speeches against the coalition government should reach the people so that they know the truth of the fitna. He said that the supporters of Imran Khan have to understand the reality of this “sedition” and its mischief and lies. He said that the present government believes in democratic principles and values, but ironically, Imran Khan has a fascist mindset.
Earlier, PEMRA had banned all satellite TV channels from telecasting and telecasting of PTI chief Imran Khan’s speeches and press conferences.
According to the notice issued, the regulatory authority said that Khan during his long march speeches a day earlier had “maligned state institutions by making baseless allegations of planning murder.”
It added that airing such material “is likely to incite hatred among people or is likely to be prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order or to disturb public peace or endanger national security”.
In a statement released in Karachi, Pakistan Broadcaster Association (PBA) took notice of PEMRA’s ban on covering Imran Khan’s speeches. The statement added that the PBA will explore its legal options and proceed accordingly after consulting its members and lawyers.
Similarly, the Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (Aemend) has termed PEMRA’s gag order as a restriction on freedom of expression.
In his statement, Amand said the Constitution protects everyone’s freedom of expression within ‘reasonable’ parameters. However, legal action may be taken against those who violate the parameters.
Amand believes that freedom of speech cannot be restricted under any argument. It said that if there is a complaint against a channel for not using the ‘procedure of delay’ and working without an editorial committee, action cannot be taken against the entire electronic media. Amand is consulting with other journalist organizations as well as all legal options against the ban.
