Gohar, Omar warn to expand hunger strike across country.  ICT admin seals PTI central secretariat.  Court remands Rauf Hassan to FIA for anti-state social media activities.

ISLAMABAD   -  The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday held a three-hour token hunger strike outside the Parliament House against the alleged political victimization of the party, demanding release of incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan and other party workers.

The PTI leaders including its Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan, former speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz and party lawmakers participated in the protest. They raised slogans of “release Imran Khan”, “crackdown (on PTI) unacceptable, and “fake government unacceptable.”

The PTI leaders also sought intervention of the Speaker NA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on the recent adverse actions against the party. They announced that the party would hold a symbolic hunger strike from 3 pm to 7 pm daily outside the Parliament House and the scope of the protest would be expanded throughout the country in the days to come.

The development comes days after jailed PTI founder Imran Khan had threatened to go on hunger strike against the alleged injustices being committed with him and his wife Bushra Bibi and other party leaders. Speaking at the protest camp, the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub said that they had started the protest through a token hunger strike from Parliament and it would be expanded throughout the country on the directions of ex-premier Khan. He said that strike was being held to meet their three demands including the release of Khan, his wife, the office bearers of PTI’s central secretariat and other party leaders; to control the rising inflation; and to restore peace in the country.

“We don’t want to create any law and order situation in the country,” said Qaiser while speaking on the occasion.

“But see what is happening to us — the ongoing campaign against us, the pressure is being put on our MNAs, the cases are being instituted against them and the offers are being made to them to change their loyalties — what other option do we have left?” he said. Due to the same reason, we have started to hold the protest, he added.

Gohar while speaking from the hunger strike camp said lawmakers did not need permission to stage a protest on the premises of the Parliament. “This is our right, we are parliamentarians…We can express our opinions,” he said.

He said the protest conveyed the party’s position against the political victimization of its members, particularly Khan.

He said that this was the first time the party was holding a hunger strike inside Parliament.

Separately, the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation sealed the PTI’s central secretariat due to lack of fire and life safety standards and measures. The decision was taken a day after the corporation served a notice to the management.

A day ago, Islamabad Police and the Federal Investigation Agency held a joint raid at Central Secretariat over the suspicion of alleged anti-state propaganda through digital campaigns and arrested the party’s Information secretary Raoof Hasan and over a dozen of its employees.

Meanwhile, District Courts Islamabad sent PTI Information Secretary and party spokesperson Raoof Hassan along with 8 other accused on a two-day physical remand to FIA.

PTI spokesperson along with other party operatives were picked up from PTI Secretariat, Islamabad, on Monday last by law enforcement agencies.

FIA Prosecutor Shiekh Amir appeared at the district court of Judicial Magistarte Abbas Shah on Monday and sought a 10-day physical remand of the accused for interrogation, recoveries of alleged social media accounts and to recover digital devices from the accused.

The FIR registered on 22-07-2024 under sections 09, 10, 11 of PECA 2016 alleged that Ahmed Waqas Janjua, international coordinator of PTI, who is in CTD lockup serving a seven-day physical remand, admitted during interrogation that the PTI leadership and media cell workers are using social media to sabotage peace and prosperity of the country.

It was also alleged in the FIR that social media cell of PTI on the directions of Rauf Hasan creates propaganda on social media against state institutions and Pakistan Army.

Lateef Khosa Advocate argued in the court that 13 of our women workers were arrested, 11 of them were released and two are brought here in the court. He further argued this is a case of discharge because no offense was done by any of the accused.

Ali Bukhari also argued on behalf of the accused, the FIR was registered at 10:40 am and they raided our office around 12:30 pm. He said, Rauf Hasan is 75 years old senior citizen who holds a good reputation and is also cancer survivor. There was also a murder attempt on him which he survived and perpetrators are still on large. Nothing has happened in last 24 hours during the investigation so it’s a case of discharge.

Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah reserved the judgment and later announced that, record reflects that this is first request for physical remand, therefore, to facilitate the interrogation officer for purpose of investigation and recovery, a two-day physical remand of the accused Rauf Hassan, Afaq Ahmed, Hameedullah, Rashid Mehmood, Zeeshan Farooq, Usama Wajid, M. Rizwan, M. Rafiq, and Syed Hamza is granted and they are to be produced on 25-07-2024 in the court. Meanwhile, Farhat Khalid and Iqra are sent on judicial lockup and may attend the next hearing via video link.