Pakistan Court To Hear Plea On ‘Killings’ In PTI Protest On Dec 23

Imran Khan

A district court in Islamabad is scheduled to hear a petition on December 23 regarding the alleged killings of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters during a protest demanding the release of party founder Imran Khan.

The petition was filed by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who has accused several senior government officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and various police officers, of involvement in the deaths and disappearances of PTI members.

Outside the court, Gohar Ali Khan told the media that he supported “comprehensive, unconditional negotiations” to address the issue, signaling his willingness to engage in dialogue.

The petition claims that 12 PTI supporters were killed during the protest, 38 were injured from gunfire, and approximately 139 individuals went missing. The petition raises alarm over the way the protest was allegedly handled by the authorities.

The district judge has directed Gohar Ali Khan to appear in court on December 23 to provide additional information about the case.

Imran Khan Reacts to the Incident

Imran Khan, who was the Prime Minister of Pakistan before his ousting, expressed his outrage over the government’s actions against PTI protestors. In a social media post, Khan compared the incident to the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre, asserting that the Islamabad Massacre would not be forgotten.

He wrote, “Just like the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, neither we nor the people will ever forget the tragedy of the Islamabad Massacre. Even after a hundred years, people still remember the massacre by General Dyer, although there were neither cameras nor media at that time.”

Khan emphasized that evidence of the Islamabad massacre was being gathered and would eventually be revealed. He encouraged his party members and supporters to speak out against the incident on all platforms, including Parliament, the judiciary, and international media.

In honor of those killed in the protest, Imran Khan announced that December 15 would be observed as a day of mourning and prayer for the “martyrs of the Islamabad Massacre,” both in Pakistan and around the world.

Meera Verma