ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Veteran PTI leader Asad Qaiser has made a dramatic claim, alleging that party lawmakers are being offered large sums of money and faced with pressure to switch their loyalties. According to Qaiser, the current government is using various tactics to retain power, including attempting to buy off PTI members.
The accusation follows PTI Chairman Gohar Khan’s assertion that the government has been coercing PTI MPs since the Supreme Court’s ruling on July 12, which determined that PTI was entitled to reserved seats for women and minorities. This decision, which allows PTI to rejoin parliament after being ousted from the February 8 elections, is expected to alter the National Assembly’s composition and increase pressure on the ruling coalition.
In a video message, Qaiser expressed his frustration, stating that the government is employing underhanded methods to maintain control. He announced plans for nationwide protests on July 26, urging all political parties, including the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), to join in.
Qaiser outlined the protest’s aims: to address the worsening law and order situation, oppose the unlawful imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, and to challenge the rising inflation that has heavily burdened the poor. He called for a united effort from all sectors of society, including farmers, students, traders, and workers, to save the country.
The decision for the protests was made during an emergency meeting led by Mehmood Khan Achakzai, a senior Balochistan politician and head of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party.
