PTI to pursue civil disobedience campaign at home and abroad if demands not met: Omar Ayub

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan on Sunday warned that the PTI will pursue a civil disobedience campaign at home and globally if the party’s demands are not met.

A recent message posted on party founder Imran Khan’s X account announced the formation of a five-member negotiation team comprising Ayub, 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.

Imran had warned that if these two demands are not accepted, a civil disobedience movement will be started from December 14, adding that the government will be “responsible” for the consequences. Imran also announced a “grand gathering” in Peshawar on December 13 to pay homage to the supporters who died during the November 26 protest in the capital.

Today, the opposition leader addressed a press conference alongside PTI Senator Shibli Faraz, Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram and PTI leader Asad Qaiser in Peshawar and announced that the PTI’s negotiation team had been formed.

“Imran Khan has made a five-member negotiation committee made up of Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Asad Qaiser, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapir, Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza and myself,” Ayub said.

“We are ready and empowered to negotiate on any issue with anybody with open hearts. We will negotiate with whoever is in power,” he added. “These names were personally selected by Imran Khan.”

Ayub reiterated the party founder’s demands, namely the release of incarcerated PTI members and supporters, as well as a judicial inquiry to probe the events of May 9, 2023.

“The government has been blaming us for the events of that day,” he said. “We need a judicial commission or inquiry and CCTV footage to be released, so that the truth can be determined.”

The opposition leader warned that the party would stage a civil disobedience campaign if their demands were not met. “We will provide details on the timeframe at a later date, but we hope it will not come to that,” Ayub asserted.

He also warned that the consequences of this campaign “would be felt by the present government”.

Speaking about the “grand gathering” announced by the ex-premier, Ayub said that on December 13, the party will organise a prayer service for “martyred party members” in Peshawar.

“We are organising a dua (prayer) and a jirga on Friday, December 13,” he said. “On December 15, the PTI’s international chapters will stage their own functions and rallies in their respective countries.”

The opposition leader added that different parties would be invited to the jirga.