ISLAMABAD: Renowned journalist and analyst, Rauf Klasra, has revealed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) planned a series of protests in Islamabad, inspired by the violent upheavals seen in Bangladesh. The protests, scheduled for October 4 under the direction of PTI chairman Imran Khan, were thwarted by the federal government, preventing a potential escalation of unrest.
Klasra’s latest analysis details how PTI aimed to turn Islamabad into a battlefield to pressure the government into negotiating with Khan. However, the striking aspect of the event was the absence of PTI’s top leadership when workers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) faced police crackdowns, tear gas, and mass arrests. According to Klasra, while PTI workers fought on the streets, their leaders were noticeably absent, tweeting support from their homes rather than joining the protests in person.
This marked a significant change in PTI’s protest strategy. Over two days, around 800 protesters were arrested, with many facing terrorism charges. Most of the detained individuals hailed from KP, including daily wage labourers who couldn’t afford legal representation. Klasra also questioned the mysterious disappearance of Ali Amin Gandapur, a PTI leader who led the charge but then vanished, leaving his supporters in the lurch.
The analyst noted that this protest differed from the infamous May 9 events, where specific instructions were given to PTI workers in the event of Khan’s arrest. The recent protests aimed to replicate the intensity of Bangladesh-style riots. Imran Khan reportedly believed that public dissatisfaction with the current government would lead to a massive wave of protest, with the ultimate goal of compelling the authorities to negotiate with him. However, this time, no senior PTI leader was present to guide the workers, and the plan failed to gain momentum.
Klasra concluded that the PTI workers felt betrayed by their leadership for being left to face the police alone, while leaders were missing in action. The protesters, he said, were left to wonder whether their sacrifices were merely part of a broader political game.
