• Party will ‘forcefully exercise’ right to protest, scare tactics won’t break their resolve, says CM Afridi
asserted
Afridi → exercise → resolve
Gohar claims 1,500 party supporters detained, urges govt to review its approach
•
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supporters → claim → approach
TTAP denounces detention of lawmakers from Islamabad and KP, demands their release
PESHAWAR / ISLAMABAD:
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TTAP → denounce → release
As the state swung into action in a bid to deter the opposition party from undertaking its promised protest march on the federal capital, the PTI on Monday vowed to go ahead with its Sept 27 protest, despite the arrest of a number of lawmakers and supporters from different parts of the country.
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PTI → swing → country
In a press conference at the Chief Minister House in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the parliamentary committee decided to “forcefully exercise” its right to peaceful protest on Sept 27.
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committee → say → Sept
The arrest of Imran Khan’s sisters, firing on cabinet minister Shakeel Khan, and the alleged abduction of Labour Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan were aimed at spoiling the party’s protest, the CM said, adding that such tactics would bolster their movement instead of weakening it.
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tactics → allege → it
CM Afridi claimed that plainclothes men had “attacked and abducted” Minister Shakoor.
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men → claim → Shakoor
He also mentioned the reported attempt to “kidnap” the provincial minister for communications, Shakeel Khan, in Batkhela.
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He → mention → Batkhela
According to CM Afridi, the PTI has not organised any major protest in the past two years and tried to resolve its issues through assemblies and courts, but to no avail.
uncertain
PTI → accord → avail
The chief minister said court orders regarding Imran Khan’s meetings as well as the Supreme Court order about his treatment at Shifa International Hospital were flouted by the government.
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orders → say → government
The PTI leader said holding a peaceful protest was their right, which was guaranteed by the Constitution, adding that they would announce the details of the protest on Sept 25.
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they → say → Sept
Speaking at the presser, PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan urged the authorities to change their approach.
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Khan → speak → approach
Barrister Gohar said 1500 workers had been detained.
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workers → say → ?
“Five of our MNAs have been arrested, along with an ex-senator.
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Five → arrest → senator
Our MPAs have been arrested; one of them was arrested in Islamabad.
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one → arrest → Islamabad
Even our ministers are being arrested in our own province,” he alleged during a press conference in Peshawar.
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he → arrest → Peshawar
He said that though the PTI was in power in KP, someone else was calling the shots.
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someone → say → shots
He said PTI was a political force and was not looking for violence and clashes but wanted to resolve its issues politically.
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PTI → say → issues
He said they have approached the high court 25 times and the apex court 19 times over the past four years, but their pleas were not heard.
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pleas → say → years
The PTI leader said they were not going to attack Islamabad and such statements by the cabinet members reflected an undemocratic mindset.
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statements → say → mindset
He claimed people were not concerned about the PTI march, but what worried them was the way the government was talking about stopping the protest.
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government → claim → protest
Mr Gohar said that no substantial talks with the government had taken place so far.
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talks → say → place
“They must step back, and we will do the same.
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we → step → same
But when one side tries to impose its will, that cannot work,” he asserted.
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he → try → will
Arrests denounced
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Arrests → denounce → ?
Meanwhile, the PTI condemned the arrests of its lawmakers from Parliament Lodges and outside the National Assembly in Islamabad, calling for their immediate release.
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PTI → condemn → release
In a statement issued by its Central Media Department, the PTI said reports about the detention of MNAs Sanaullah Khan Mastikhel, Dawar Khan Kundi, Ahsan Jamal Khan, Mian Ghaus, and Adil Khan Bazai, as well as Chitral MPA Fatehul Mulk
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PTI → issue → MNAs
The arrest of elected representatives from Parliament Lodges and outside the National Assembly clearly reflected the government’s indiscriminate use of state power to suppress political dissent.
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arrest → elect → dissent
Meanwhile, Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan also expressed serious concern over the prevailing political situation in the country, the arrests of political workers, parliamentarians and ordinary citizens, the closure of major roads with containers, and the arrest of sisters of Imran Khan.
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Pakistan → express → Khan
They urged the government to reconsider its approach, release all detained political workers and citizens, and remove the containers blocking public roads.
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They → urge → roads
Two PTI men sent on physical remand
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad remanded two PTI men in police custody for 10 days in a case registered in connection with the party’s Nov 26 protest.
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Court → send → protest
ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain passed the order after police produced them before the court and sought their physical remand for interrogation.
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police → pass → interrogation
The investigating officer requested a 30-day physical remand, arguing that the accused were required to be interrogated in connection with the case registered at the Khanna police station.
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accused → investigate → station
After hearing the arguments, the court granted 10 days’ physical remand and directed police to produce the accused before the court on completion of the remand period.
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court → hear → period
Separately, ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra ordered five PTI workers arrested in connection with a February 15 protest on Constitution Avenue to be sent to the Adiala jail for an identification parade.
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workers → order → parade
The case was registered at the Secretariat police station against PTI workers and supporters allegedly involved in the protest staged by party lawmakers and activists.
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case → register → lawmakers
In a related proceeding, Judge Sipra ordered Rana Shahbaz, president of the Islamabad Pushcart Vendors Association, to be sent to jail for an identification parade in the same protest case.
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Sipra → relate → case
Police produced Mr Shahbaz before the court and sought his judicial custody for the identification process.
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Police → produce → process
The court granted a 14-day judicial remand and directed authorities to produce him again on Oct 5 after completion of the parade.
However, Mr Shahbaz’s relatives told the court that he had no affiliation with the PTI and alleged that he was arrested while raising his voice over issues confronting pushcart vendors.
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he → grant → vendors
The proceedings relate to a case registered with the Secretariat police concerning the PTI’s February protest in Islamabad.
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proceedings → relate → Islamabad
…and 1 more, not listed.