Bashir Hussain Azad
CHITRAL: Hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers took to the streets in Chitral to protest the arrest of MPA Fateh-ul-Mulk Ali Nasir, demanding his immediate and unconditional release.
The protest rally was led by Senator Falak Naz, party secretary Syed Fareed Jan, Naveed Ahmed Baig, Shahid Ahmed, Haroon Khan, Hayat-ur-Rehman, Shafiq-ur-Rehman, Muhammad Qasim, Nabig Sharakhat, Nazir Ahmed and Shahzeb Alam, among other local party leaders.
The protesters chanted slogans against the government and marched towards the Chitral Press Club, where PTI leaders addressed a press conference and strongly condemned the arrest.
The party leaders described the arrest of Mr Nasir, whom they said was elected by more than 30,000 people, as an example of what they termed political repression and authoritarianism. They said such actions would not be accepted.
Addressing the gathering, PTI leaders said arrests and retaliatory measures could not weaken the resolve of party workers. They announced that PTI workers would travel to Islamabad on September 27 as part of the party’s planned march and called for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.
The speakers also criticised the government over the deteriorating law-and-order and political situation in the country. They alleged that even the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister had been made to disappear, claiming that such actions represented an unprecedented level of repression.
Falak Naz said Imran Khan remained a source of hope for Pakistan’s underprivileged population and described him as a major leader of the Muslim world. She said attempts to remove him from the political scene would not succeed.
PTI leaders reiterated their demand for the immediate and unconditional release of MPA Nasir, warning that the arrest would not deter party workers from continuing their political activities.