Feb 8 protest: Sheikh Waqas Akram decries crackdown on party workers
Pakistan
Following founder’s directives, we would observe February 8 as black day: PTI's info secretary
PESHAWAR (Dunya News) - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) central information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram decried the ongoing crackdown on the party workers, stating that raids were being conducted at the residences of its MNAs and MPAs.
Despite such measures, he asserted, the public will take to the streets on Feb 8.
Addressing a press conference, Akram announced that PTI, following its founder’s directives, would observe February 8 as a "black day." He claimed that the party's Quetta office had been raided for the third time in a month, strongly condemning the arrests and coercion tactics.
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"The government is sowing division through such strong-arm tactics," he remarked, warning that those responsible would eventually be held accountable. He urged the Chief Justice to take notice of the ongoing "oppression and coercion."
Referring to the tenure of the Chief Election Commissioner, Akram stated that it had ended in January 2025, and it was the Prime Minister’s responsibility to form a parliamentary committee to address the matter. He accused the government of lacking seriousness in this regard, asserting that PTI had fulfilled its obligations in this regard.
Criticising the Election Commission’s role, Akram described it as "disappointing" and stressed the importance of an independent electoral body. He further alleged that elections were being used as a tool to implement a "minus-one formula" against the party’s founder.
