Efforts to peacefully resolve the issue of PTI's protest march towards Islamabad's D-Chowk were thwarted by a combination of physical and technological obstacles, as well as the firm opposition of former First Lady Bushra Bibi, according to credible sources familiar with the behind-the-scenes negotiations, who spoke to Dawn.
The government has also accused Bushra Bibi of "sabotaging" negotiations for an alternative protest venue and "orchestrating" acts of violence by PTI supporters.
Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, the aide and spokesperson for the KP Chief Minister, confirmed that serious efforts were made starting Monday night to convince PTI leadership to halt their march before reaching Islamabad and redirect it to Sangjani, situated on the outskirts of the capital.
He also confirmed that the party chairman had, albeit reluctantly, agreed to convey this message to KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
“Khan sahib was extremely agitated and annoyed at the treatment being meted out to him in his prison cell, but after a lot of discussions that also covered the Islam¬abad High Court ruling, he reluctantly agreed to stop the march at the city limits,” he told Dawn.
“He (Imran) said he would leave it to party leaders to decide what to do, provided it led to solid negotiations with the government that would result in his release and the withdrawal of cases against him and other party leaders including Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and others.”
“We made a lot of efforts to find a peaceful way to resolve the issue. Both sides have toughened their positions. It has now entered into a critical and very sensitive phase. One wrong move and we will have a very serious situation at hand,” Saif said.
A source familiar with the developments revealed that extensive efforts were made to broker a compromise.
“Efforts were made to arrange a telephone call between the jailed party chairman and Gandapur,” the source said, adding, “There were signal issues but the message was conveyed”.
“By the time efforts were made to re-establish contact with Ali Amin and others, the rally had already entered Islamabad. It was too late by then,” Barrister Saif told Dawn when asked about the sequence of events.
The source described Bushra Bibi as "aggressive" and "defiant," stating that she refused to engage with CM Gandapur. Instead, she insisted that the party chairman communicate with her directly via video call, a request that could not be fulfilled due to technical and other issues.
Initially, sources revealed, Bushra Bibi was expected to remain in Peshawar. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when she unexpectedly decided to join the protest, boarding the truck to lead it herself.
“It made matters more complicated”, the source said, adding: “Workers were charged and they were no longer listening to Ali Amin.”
According to the insider, “[Bushra] is now calling the shots and [CM Gandapur] is playing second fiddle.”
The situation escalated further when a vehicle ran over Rangers personnel, according to the source.
“There is literally an eye-ball-to-eye ball situation at D-Chowk”, the source said. “Ali Amin is under pressure. He is stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
Bushra Bibi's actions on Tuesday evening further reinforced this impression.
In a speech to the energized protesters gathered a few kilometers from the high-security Red Zone, Bushra Bibi urged them to march towards D-Chowk and encouraged them to take Ali Amin Gandapur along with them.
As the federal government anxiously awaits the protesters' next move, party leaders are working urgently to prevent further escalation, Barrister Saif stated.
Sources added that the party is currently "trying to figure out what the Plan-B is."
In a series of press conferences on Tuesday, federal ministers accused PTI of backing out of the agreement to hold their demonstration at Sangjani, on the outskirts of Islamabad, and not enter the Red Zone.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed that "There is a secret leadership controlling things in the background; the entire frontline leadership is powerless in front of them," without directly naming Bushra Bibi. He further stated that while the PTI leadership was open to talks, "that one secret leader" sabotaged the process.
In a later press conference with Information Minister Atta Tarar, Naqvi held "a woman" responsible for the loss of life and property over the past two days.
Tarar added that the former prime minister's wife was trailing behind in the protest while "sending children and labourers to the front lines," who, he claimed, were throwing tear gas at the police.
Meanwhile, a post on Imran Khan’s official X (formerly Twitter) account reignited discussions about who is managing his social media account during his incarceration.
Contrary to the assertions made by Barrister Saif, a tweet from Khan’s account appeared to support Bushra Bibi’s initiative, encouraging people to march towards D-Chowk.
“My message for my team is to fight until the last ball is bowled. We will not back down until our demands are met!”
The post also disclosed that overseas Pakistanis had been funding the march, with Khan expressing his gratitude for their efforts in organizing protests in various countries.
“My thanks go to overseas Pakistanis around the globe, who are not only mobilising Pakistanis and contributing funds, but also holding historic protests in their respective countries,” the tweet said.
The post also urged “those who haven’t yet joined the protest” to head to D-Chowk. The tweet added, “All Pakistanis participating in the protest must remain peaceful, stay united, and stand firm until our demands are met.”
(Source: DAWN)
BD-Pratidin English/Mazdud
