Civil war brewing in Pakistan? Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM threatens to hit streets with guns if…

In a major development in the ongoing Pakistan crisis Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday warned that Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers will hit the streets of Pakistan armed with guns if the party's jailed founder Imran Khan, is not released.

Pakistan crisis: The threat of a major civil war seems to be looming over Pakistan with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday issuing an ominous warning, stating that Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers will hit the streets of the country armed with guns if the party’s jailed founder Imran Khan, who is set to face a military trial, is not released.

Addressing a gathering in Abbottabad, Gandapur urged Imran Khan to withdraw his appeal for peace. “Imran Khan! For the sake of Allah, stop advocating peace. Next time, we will not talk about peace. We will see who runs away when we (PTI supporters and workers), will come to the streets with weapons,” the PTI leader said.

“Next time, will will hit the streets without the slogan of peace,” the Gandapur said, while lashing out at Pakistan’s PML-N-led coalition government, which he claimed was fascist, and had trampled human rights in the country.

Fascism has trampled our constitution, law, morality and humanity of Pakistan,” he alleged.

The PTI leader also criticised Information Minister Atta Tarar, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and others from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government over their “insensitive” statements on the Islamabad clashes.

Imran Khan threatens civil disobedience from Dec 16

Gandapur’s menacing statement comes amidst a warning by jailed former Pakistan premier Imran Khan to launch a civil disobedience movement from December 16 if the country’s government does not agree to his demands, which include a judicial probe into the November 26 protests.

Khan, who has been in prison after being convicted in several cases, has formed a five-member negotiation committee, comprising Omar Ayub Khan, Ali Amin Gandapur, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Salman Akram Raja and Asad Qaiser, to negotiate the party’s demands with authorities.

Some of the prominent demands put forth by the former ruling party include the release of all “political prisoners”, including Imran Khan, and the formation of a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9, 2023, and last month’s late-night crackdown on PTI protesters.

November 12 protests

On November 26, PTI were forced to hastily withdraw their much-hyped protest in Islamabad to free its founder Imran Khan after the government launched a brutal midnight crackdown on protesters which allegedly left at least 12 PTI workers dead, while over 1,000 were arrested, according to the party.

Authorities have refuted PTI’s charges, claiming that no live ammunition was used to quell the protest in which four security personnel, including three Pakistan Rangers and a police officer, were killed.