PAKISTAN Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) says it has launched a 90-day ‘do and die’ protest movement against the government which would also determine the future of the party.
KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gundapur, who has been leading such campaigns in the past, told reporters at a news conference in Lahore that the movement will proceed whether or not the party remains in power in the province. He vowed that the party’s anti-government protest movement will “reach its peak” on August 5, marking two years since Khan was arrested after being convicted by a court for illegally selling state gifts.
This is yet another attempt aimed at securing release of Imran Khan and the slogan of ‘do and die’ implies the party intends to apply all tactics to pressurize the government for the purpose. However, the last time the party used a similar term for its anti-government protest in November 2024 but ended up as a net loser as neither its founding leader was released nor there any forward movement on its core demands – revocation of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, restoration of democracy, the return of the public’s mandate and the release of political prisoners. No doubt, the PTI remains the most popular political party in the country but instead of bringing relief the path of confrontation has added to the political and legal woes of the party and its top leadership and it is unlikely the party would achieve any worthwhile target as a consequence of the renewed focus on protest politics. On the contrary, there are apprehensions that the party might have to face difficulties in retaining its power base of KP as the opposition parties there are gearing up consultations for bringing about a change. Their task might become easier in the backdrop of reports of rift among MPAs of the ruling party because of differences on different counts. The KP has so far served as a major financier and provider of logistic support for anti-Government protests and movements and the party is least expected to sustain the policy of confrontation without this base camp. Otherwise too, a good number of prominent leaders of the party are facing legal proceedings because of their alleged involvement in violent protests and repetition of the policy could create problems for others as well. Luckily, the Chief Minister has indicated that the founding Chairman of the PTI was ready for talks and the process should be initiated for meaningful dialogue without pre-conditions as confrontation is neither in the interest of the party nor the country.
