By Iftikhar Mashwani
ISLAMABAD :The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf called off its announced D-Chowk protest for October 15 on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit,on Monday night.
According to PTI message issued on X late on Monday night said: “The federal government has officially contacted us and assured us that doctors will be sent to Adiala Jail tomorrow morning while restoring Imran Khan’s access to doctors.“On this guarantee given by the federal government, the PTI leadership has decided to postpone tomorrow’s peaceful protest in Islamabad.”
PTI Chairman Barrister Ali Gohar said Imran’s health was the top priority for every party worker and official, adding that there were concerns after there was no meeting with the party founder after Oct 3.
The PTI last week issued a nationwide call urging party leaders and workers to converge in Islamabad on Oct 15. The PTI demanded immediate access for party leaders and family members to its founder, Imran Khan, who is incarcerated in Adiala Jail. The government earlier banned visits to prisoners at Adiala Jail until Oct 18 due to security concerns related to the high-profile SCO summit.
Thus he said the PTI had announced the protest call and also sent a request to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi for the party or doctor or family member to meet Imran so concerns about his health could be addressed.
Barrister Gohar said the party’s allies had also requested the party to put off the protest call.
“The interior minister has given us an assurance that a doctor will definitely meet Imran tomorrow,” he said, adding that he had asked time for consultation after which the issue was brought before the PTI’s apex and political committees.
The federal government has deployed more than 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel for the security of about 900 delegates who will arrive in Islamabad for the 23rd SCO summit to be held on Oct 15 and 16.
The SCO meeting is being participated by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Iranian first vice president Reza Aref, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and leaders from other member states. The security agencies are, therefore, determined to prevent any disruptions.
The government has deployed army troops under Article 245 of the Constitution, to bolster security measures in Islamabad from October 5 to 17. The federal government has also announced a three-day holiday in the capital starting from Oct 14 to ensure the safety and protection of delegates attending the summit.
Despite significant criticism of the announcement from the ruling coalition’s ranks and traders, the PTI on Sunday called upon all its office-bearers to reach Islamabad on Oct 15 at all costs if the government did not allow lawyers and doctors access to Imran in Adiala Jail.
