Khan’s Party Observes Martyrs’ Day to Honor November 24 Victims

ISLAMABAD: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party will hold a public gathering in Peshawar today (dubbed Martyrs’ Day), Sunday, to honor those who allegedly died during last month’s protest in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, party leaders said.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Nov. 24 led thousands of supporters to Islamabad, seeking to pressure the government to release the ex-premier from jail and order an audit of Feb. 8 national election results. The protests resulted in clashes that Pakistan’s government says killed four law enforcers and injured hundreds of others.

The PTI claims law enforcers killed at least 12 of its supporters and injured another 37 with gunfire near Islamabad’s Jinnah Avenue on Nov. 26, while 139 of its supporters remain “missing.” Pakistani authorities have denied the deaths, saying security personnel had not been carrying live ammunition during the protest.

In a video message on Saturday, Qasim Suri, former deputy speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly from the PTI, said Khan had instructed Pakistanis to observe Sunday as the “martyrs’ day.” The day was to honor those who died during the Islamabad protest. Suri urged Pakistanis, both in the country and abroad, to observe the day in their respective areas.

Suri said, “The blood of those martyrs will never go in vain. Hundreds of our supporters are still missing. Our mothers, sisters, and families are worried about them.”

Also See: Ex-PM Khan Charged With Instigating Violence Against Military

PTI Accuses Government

The development comes two days after Khan’s party filed a petition in an Islamabad court against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and other officials over “firing” on its supporters during last month’s protest. The petition, which refers to the victims of Martyrs’ Day, accuses authorities of suppressing the democratic rights of Khan’s party supporters.

The government has accused the PTI of waging a “propaganda” regarding the Islamabad protest, following statements by several PTI members that gave varied accounts of casualties.

It formed two task forces in the aftermath of the Islamabad protest: one to identify and take legal action against rioters and another to track and bring to justice suspects behind what the government described as a “malicious campaign” to spread “concocted, baseless and inciting” online news, images and video content against the state and security forces.

The PTI has staged several protests this year to demand Khan’s release and to challenge the results of the Feb. 8 national election, claiming its opponents manipulated them. The Pakistani government and election authorities deny this.

Last month’s protests were the largest to grip the capital since the poll. Khan remains a popular figure in Pakistan, despite being in prison and facing several court cases. He has also threatened to launch a civil disobedience movement.

This news is sourced from Arab News and is intended for informational purposes only.