Barrister Gohar says PTI’s Islamabad march will remain peaceful

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Monday said the party’s planned march on Islamabad would remain peaceful, rejecting suggestions that its supporters intended to storm or occupy the federal capital.

Speaking to reporters in Peshawar ahead of the September 27 march, Gohar said PTI had pursued its political demands through peaceful means in the past and would continue to do so.

The party has announced the march to demand the release of its founder, Imran Khan, along with other political demands.

“We have remained peaceful and will continue to be peaceful,” Gohar said.

He alleged that PTI was facing a crackdown despite maintaining a peaceful approach, claiming that around 1,500 party workers had been arrested ahead of the planned march. He said senators, National Assembly members, provincial lawmakers and ministers were also among those detained.

Gohar also raised concerns over the detention of Imran Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khanum. According to reports, the three were transferred to Kot Lakhpat Jail for 30 days, while a petition challenging Aleema Khan’s detention has been filed before the Lahore High Court.

Questioning the arrests of PTI lawmakers, Gohar called on the authorities to clarify the legal grounds for detaining senators and ministers.

“Why were our senators and ministers arrested? On what grounds?” he asked.

The PTI chairman also said confrontational statements and threats from either side would not help ease political tensions.

Gohar maintained that PTI supporters would enter Islamabad carrying Pakistani flags and rejected suggestions that the party planned to launch an attack on or take control of the federal capital.

“When we arrive in Islamabad, Pakistani flags will be visible everywhere,” he said, adding that PTI workers were political activists and not terrorists.