Bushra Bibi has no plans to enter politics: Gohar PTI chief asserts Gandapur did not misuse KP government resources claims at least 5,000 PTI protesters are “still missing”
Days after the abrupt end of PTI’s “do-or-die” protest following a late-night crackdown in Islamabad, party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has extended an olive branch, offering to hold talks with all political parties.
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“[PTI founder] Imran Khan will outline the future course of action,” Gohar stated while speaking to journalists in Abbottabad on Wednesday.
His comments come amid ongoing finger-pointing between the PTI and the coalition government over the violence during last month’s protest, which resulted in the deaths of four law enforcement officers in Islamabad.
The PTI has claimed that at least 12 of its workers were killed and 1,000 arrested. However, the government has denied using live ammunition against protesters, stating that four law enforcement personnel, including three Rangers and a policeman, were martyred during the protest.
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The PML-N-led federal government has repeatedly urged PTI to engage in dialogue, but its founder rejected the offer, saying the party would only hold talks with those in real power.
Speaking to the media, Barrister Gohar also dismissed speculation about Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI’s founder, joining politics, saying she had “no intention” of doing so. “She [Bushra] participated in the protest as a regular worker,” he added. Furthermore, the PTI chairman clarified that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur did not use government resources for the protest.
In response to a question, Gohar claimed that around 5,000 PTI workers were “still missing,” adding that efforts were underway to collect data on them at the district level.
He also criticized the authorities for “firing” on protesters, asserting that no government should shoot at its own citizens.
Gohar further stated that the KP government would announce compensation, including job offers, for the families of the “martyrs,” adding, “Our struggle is for the restoration of democracy and Imran’s release.”