PTI divided on Oct 15 protest call amid Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit

• Saner elements in PTI trying to get Oct 15 protest call withdrawn.
• Ordinary PTI voters not happy with protest call, says party leader.
  
• Shehbaz Gill, Hammad Azhar leading hawkish elements within party.
  

ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief MinisterAli Amin Gandapur are among the minority in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) political committee who are against holding a protest at D-Chowk on October 15.

Saner elements in PTI are trying to get the protest call withdrawn. They believe it is not in the interest of Pakistan to hold such a protest on the occasion when many foreign dignitaries will be attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the capital city.

Asad Qaiser, Hamid Khan and Raoof Hasan are also among the minority that believe it is not in the interest of Pakistan to hold such a protest. Ali Muhammad Khan though not a part of the PTI’s political committee, is also upset with the protest call for October 15.

PTI sources have said that Shehbaz Gill, Hammad Azhar, Khalid Khurshid and Hafiz Farhat are leading the hawkish elements, who prevailed in pursuing the political committee to give a call for protest at the D-Chowk Islamabad for October 15 — the first day of the two-day SCO summit.

It sounds unbelievable but a source said a person like Salman Akram Raja also supported the hawkish elements and endorsed the idea of protest in the Red Zone at a time when the SCO leadership would be meeting within a few kilometres from the protest site. The lawyer could not be reached for comments. As against him, CM Gandapur, who in public appears aggressive, voted against the PTI protest on the occasion of the SCO summit.

Murad Saeed is not a member of PTI’s political committee, but he is reportedly the first one to post on "X" about the protest call. The sources noted that the likes of Gill and Azhar use the party's social media to target those in the party who resist decisions like holding a protest at the D-Chowk on October 15 and boycotting the All-Parties Conference.

Those who are trying to get the protest call withdrawn fear any untoward incident or any clash between the PTI supporters and law-enforcing agencies will not be in the interest of Pakistan. It may hurt the SCO summit and upset the high-profile foreign guests, including heads of government.

Three PTI leaders contacted by The News, on condition of not being named, said they are trying their level best to call off the October 15 protest in the interest of Pakistan and to pay respect to visiting dignitaries. One of these leaders said the ordinary voters of PTI are not happy with the protest call on the occasion of the SCO summit.

The source said many people may not join the protest. He, however, admitted even if it is successful, the protest will be in conflict with the interests of Pakistan.

Originally published in The News