PTI sets condition for calling off Oct 15 rally, ruling PML-N rejects proposal
1. PTI spokesperson says protest will be called off if party leaders, family members allowed to meet Imran Khan
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has outlined its condition for canceling its planned October 15 protest, but the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has rejected the proposal.
The federal government, along with allies like the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), urged PTI to reconsider the rally date, as it coincides with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit scheduled for October 15-16 in Islamabad.
PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram, speaking on Geo News' "Naya Pakistan," suggested that if the government is concerned about the SCO, it should allow a brief meeting between PTI’s founder, Imran Khan, and his family or doctors. "If they confirm that everything is fine after meeting him, we’ll call off the protest," Akram said, adding that the meeting would only take 10-15 minutes. He criticized authorities for isolating Khan, claiming that the party's leadership was worried about his health.
Akram also dismissed rumors of internal disagreements within PTI regarding the rally. According to *The News*, some leaders, including Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, opposed the protest, while others, such as Hammad Azhar and Salman Akram, supported going forward with it.
PTI has also written to the Ministry of Interior, requesting permission for Barrister Gohar and Hamid Raza to meet Khan, noting that their last meeting with him took place on October 3.
### PML-N Response
PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry dismissed PTI’s demand, stating that Khan is already enjoying privileges in custody, including regular meetings. "He’s the most privileged prisoner in history," Chaudhry said, rejecting claims that Khan was being denied access to visitors.
Chaudhry accused PTI of using the SCO summit as a pretext to pressure the government. "This summit is not about any individual; it concerns Pakistan's economy and future, with 200 delegations attending," he stressed.
He further criticized PTI's protest plans, alleging they were an attempt to blackmail the government. "Their protest threats are just bluster—they won't have the courage to act on them," Chaudhry claimed. He emphasized that despite being in custody, Khan enjoys VIP treatment, saying, "A VIP prisoner is receiving VIP facilities."
