ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Imran Khan has posted on Twitter a video montage of police brutality on supporters during the ‘Azadi March’ on May 25, terming it “condemnable and unacceptable”.
“Condemnable and unacceptable,” the former prime minister said on Sunday. “Flouting the Constitution and Supreme Court orders, this criminal imported government unleashed police brutality on our peaceful Azadi March protesters.”
PTI leader Asad Umar also highlighted the “devastating consequences” of using force to “suppress popular movements”.
“History of Pakistan shows devastating consequences of attempts to suppress popular movements through use of force and intimidation,” Umar said.
“Those short-sighted men thinking they can crush the most popular mass mobilisation in Pakistan’s history, will never be forgiven by history.”
Condemnable & unacceptable. Flouting the Constitution & SC orders, this criminal Imported govt unleashed police brutality on our peaceful Azadi March protestors. Night before our March, Punjab & Sindh police violated PTI mbrs homes harassing the families.pic.twitter.com/r10mlgVYSd
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 29, 2022
Former information minister Fawad Chaudhry called on the government to not “underestimate the people’s anger” as they are “angrier than expected”.
He conceded that there were some “mistakes” that the PTI made that the situation “led to this stage”, without elaborating further.
He also asked if the Zardaris and Sharifs would run Pakistan “for the next 40 years”, and if those decades would be “wasted” like the past years.
History of Pakistan shows devastating consequences of attempts to suppress popular movements, thru use of force & intimidation. Those short sighted men thinking they can crush the most popular mass mobilization in Pak history, will never be forgiven by history #SaluteToMarchers
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) May 29, 2022
Clarity from SC
Yesterday, Imran Khan said his party will be moving the Supreme Court on Monday to seek protection for their right to a peaceful protest.
He also announced petitioning high courts to seek registration of cases against those responsible for using brute force against his party workers during their march on the capital on Wednesday.
He said they have also decided to take up the matter at all forums, the Supreme Court, high courts and human rights organisations internationally.
Imran Khan said he had written a letter to the chief justice of Pakistan, asking whether his party had the right to protest peacefully.
He repeated his demand to the government to announce the date for fresh elections within six days. He warned that he had given clear directions to his party to prepare for another ‘Azadi March’.
“This time, we will come fully prepared. There will be a strategy,” he said, but added the date for the next round of the ‘long march’ would be announced after seeking clear directives from the superior courts.
“We are going to ask a simple question from the Supreme Court: don’t we have a democratic right to hold a peaceful protest?” he said. “This is a test for the democratic process and respectfully, this is also your test — the judiciary,” he remarked while referring to the Supreme Court.
