Khawaja Asif criticizes PTI’s civil disobedience call, predicts failure
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has dismissed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) call for civil disobedience, describing it as a doomed strategy due to the public’s reliance on state-provided facilities. He compared the move to PTI’s previous protests in Islamabad, which he said also ended unsuccessfully.
“Civil disobedience only succeeds when people are independent of the state. The state is providing all necessary facilities, and no one would willingly deprive their families of these services,” Asif remarked.
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The PTI founder recently announced a five-member negotiation committee, aiming to engage with the federal government on two demands: the release of “political prisoners” and the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9, 2023, and the November 26 crackdown on PTI protesters. Alongside these demands, PTI has threatened a civil disobedience movement if the government does not comply and has planned a grand gathering in Peshawar on December 13 to honor “martyrs” from the Islamabad protests.
Criticizing the PTI’s approach, Asif suggested that such movements are outdated, citing their relevance only during historical struggles like the British era. He also accused PTI of prioritizing negotiations with the establishment over dialogue with political parties and urged the party to fulfill its parliamentary role instead of relying on street politics.
In a pointed remark, Asif questioned the political understanding of Bushra Bibi, the PTI founder’s wife, alleging she has expertise in financial matters but lacks political acumen. He dismissed her claims of being abandoned by party leaders during PTI’s “final call” protest, stating that a video showed her leaving the venue independently, while other leaders and protesters fled the scene.
PTI’s highly publicized protest in Islamabad last month ended in a retreat following a government crackdown. The party alleged that 12 workers were killed and over 1,000 arrested during the protest. However, the government denied the use of live ammunition, stating that four law enforcement personnel, including three Rangers and one policeman, lost their lives during the unrest.
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