Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram stated on Friday that negotiations will continue even if the party’s founder, Imran Khan, is sentenced on January 6. During a press conference, he revealed that overseas Pakistanis had been urged to halt remittances as part of the initial phase of the civil disobedience movement. He emphasized that under the current circumstances, calling for civil disobedience had become unavoidable.
“The first phase of the movement is ongoing and will continue. The call to stop remittances is aimed at opposing the government and the ruling elite. If overseas Pakistanis make this sacrifice for three months, it will be enough to bring down the government,” he said.
He clarified that the call to stop remittances was not intended to encourage illegal money transfer systems like hundi or hawala. He also stressed that PTI founder Imran Khan would return to the political scene through judicial decisions, not through any deal. “We are not seeking deals; we are demanding justice for our martyrs and prisoners,” he added.
Sheikh Waqas accused the government of threatening the families of overseas Pakistanis. “If they are treated this way, overseas Pakistanis will stop sending remittances,” he stated.
He reiterated that the first phase of PTI’s civil disobedience movement is focused on overseas remittances, stressing that these Pakistanis are fighting for multiple rights, including the right to vote. “Their relatives are being blackmailed, arrested, and tortured,” he alleged.
The PTI leader emphasized that advocating for human rights was not interference but a collective responsibility. “If the interests of overseas Pakistanis are not protected, why should they be expected to send remittances?” he asked, claiming that expatriates were being threatened with passport cancellations.
He noted that while overseas Pakistanis contribute significantly to the country’s economy through remittances, they are being harassed and disheartened. Many, he said, are reluctant to come forward now.
Sheikh Waqas further mentioned that the judicial inquiries into the incidents of May 9 and November 26, as well as the release of detainees, are among the demands made by Imran Khan. He added that the release of workers from military courts is neither a deal nor a goodwill gesture.
He concluded by emphasizing that PTI is not a militant organization but the largest political party in the country. “There will be no reversal or compromise on the civil disobedience movement. It is conditional on the demands presented during the negotiations,” he stated.
