Islamabad, November 1 (NIA): The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan on Tuesday withdrew his call to “lockdown” Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, after the Supreme Court announced the appointment of Judicial Commission to probe “Panamagate” – the allegation that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family had benefitted from illegal offshore funds parked in a company called Mossack Fonseca brought to light by a leak of the Panama Papers.
Instead of a lockdown or dharna, PTI workers and supporters will observer “Thangsgiving”, Imran Khan said.
“Go home and rest,” Khan told supporters, “You have to return to Islamabad tomorrow to celebrate thanksgiving at the Parade Ground. I am elated that the investigation into Nawaz Sharif’s alleged corruption will begin day after tomorrow.”
Khan was referring to the Supreme Court’s decision taken early today, where it announced the formation of a judicial commission to probe the allegations against the Sharif family in the Panama Papers.
Minister Railways Saad Rafique on Twitter said, “We welcome the decision of Imran Khan to withdraw the call of the sit-in. We should trust the apex court.”
Minister Railways Saad Rafique on Twitter said, “We welcome the decision of Imran Khan to withdraw the call of the sit-in. We should trust the apex court.”
While declaring the Supreme Court decision a “victory”, Imran’s announcement is a significant about-turn from what PTI leaders had been saying just hours before.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali asked both parties to “show restraint” and asked the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the PTI to come to an agreement on the Terms of Reference for the proposed judicial commission.
“We have to save the country from unrest and crises,” Justice Jamali said, adding that the Panama Papers issue has affected the entire country.
A five-judge apex court bench comprising Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Amir Hani Muslim, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Hassan heard the case just a day ahead of Islamabad’s anticipated lockdown by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
PML-N lawyer Aslam Butt also informed the court that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has agreed to the formation of a judicial commission.
Speaking to reporters after the hearing was adjourned, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said, “Now the judiciary has taken up the matter, there is no logic in agitation on the streets.”
“Both the accused and accuser are standing before court so I think the nation should be given relief from the agony of this protest.”
PTI Could Not Gather Much Of A Crowd
Although the PTI had been continually proclaiming it would lay siege to the capital on November 2, and had managed to generate sympathy, the protest ran into significant roadblocks, Dawn reported.
The party was facing difficulty in gathering a sizeable enough crowd as the government had acted swiftly to prevent opposition gatherings, using Section 144 in Islamabad, and separately toughening checks when it came to those crossing from Khyber Pakhtunwala into Punjab and the capital.
This was resulting in problems for the party in sustaining the momentum of its protest. In the light of this scenario, today’s proceedings at the apex court inadvertently provided the PTI with room to withdraw from its earlier proclamations of laying siege to the capital along with saving face, to some extent.
Govt orders removal of containers
Moments after the PTI changed its course, the government announced that it has ordered the capital adminstration to remove all containers and barricades in the city.
Police also started releasing PTI workers from private houses kept in different sectors, a police official told Dawn.com.
PTI officials claim that 383 workers were put behind bars, including more than 100 students. As per police record, around 20 cases are registered against these workers in different police stations of the capital city.
