PTI to stage countrywide protests against inflation from Friday: Fawad Chaudhry

LAHORE, Dec 29 (SABAH): PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said on Thursday that the party had decided to commence a protest movement across Pakistan from tomorrow (Friday). He said Chairman Imran Khan would join supporters after three weeks.

“From Friday [today], a protest will be staged against inflation and the sinking economy and this movement will continue until the incumbent government is sent packing,” he said in a media talk in Lahore.

The decision, Chaudhry told journalists, was taken by Imran in a meeting with senior party members on Thursday.

“These protests will be led by PTI MNAs in their constituencies,” he said, clarifying that the movement will continue in every city. After three weeks, Imran Khan will announce the next plan of action. Chaudhry also revealed that a huge protest will be organised for the release of detained party Senator Azam Swati who has been in custody in a case pertaining to controversial tweets against senior military officials.

Moreover, the PTI leader reiterated that the idea of bringing in a technocrat government will not be tolerated in Pakistan. “If you look at the Constitution, elections are the only way out. The public will not accept a technocrat government. They will only accept general elections,” he stressed.

Chaudhry went on to say that some quarters in the country were against holding snap polls. “I’m telling the establishment that they will be entirely blamed for this experiment. Pakistan should not be made a lab rat,” he warned. Talking about the matter of the Punjab Assembly, the PTI leader said held a majority in the province and had the right to dissolve the provincial assembly anytime.

He alleged that some Punjab lawmakers were being bribed with trips to Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and the United States only if they abstain from the vote of confidence of Chief Minister Pervez Elahi.

“But let me tell you this game of horse trading will be defeated. Chaudhry Parvez Elahi will take a vote of confidence and then we will move toward dissolution.”

In response to a question on the acceptance of the resignation of PTI MNAs, the former minister said that the party would not accept individual verification under any circumstances. “No PTI MNA is ready to sit in the assembly. Hence, we have decided to approach the Supreme Court for a solution to this problem,” he added.