PTI Chairman announces February 8 countrywide strike

 

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar on Tuesday announced a nationwide shutter-down and wheel-jam strike on February 8, saying the party will stage full-scale protests across the country to press for its demands.

Speaking to the media at Dahgal Naka in Rawalpindi, Barrister Gohar said protest is PTI’s constitutional right and the party already has a clear strategy in place. He added that the party leadership is united on the street movement, which is being carried out strictly in line with the instructions of PTI founder Imran Khan.

Addressing speculation about negotiations, the PTI chairman rejected the idea of talks being limited to a so-called meeting of “five key figures,” saying neither such a meeting is possible nor necessary. “If meetings are not being allowed, how can negotiations move forward?” he questioned.

Barrister Gohar said PTI leaders visit every Tuesday but are forced to return without any meetings. He revealed that no one has been allowed to meet Imran Khan for over a month, despite court orders.

“When meetings are denied despite judicial directives, that is nothing short of begging,” he remarked, adding that statements about “begging” were deliberately twisted.

He warned that efforts to normalize the political situation are being made conditional on an unacceptably heavy price, questioning how progress can be made when even routine meetings are turned into controversies. He said sisters and lawyers must be allowed to meet the PTI founder to help ease tensions.

The PTI chairman also disclosed that former party leader Imran Ismail had contacted him regarding a conference, but was informed that PTI would not participate due to party reservations.

On internal matters, Barrister Gohar said no party committee has the authority to ignore the PTI founder’s instructions. He added that the Speaker has deferred a decision on opposition leaders’ notifications until the next session, but PTI wants the matter resolved before then.

He further expressed hope that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would allow PTI to hold a public gathering in Sindh and supported the idea of providing protocol to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister during visits.

Barrister Gohar concluded by saying those genuinely working to improve the situation should be appreciated, but stressed that denying lawful rights will only deepen the crisis.