PTI members unhappy with Khan

Members of Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have criticized its chairman Imran Khan’s recent aggressive turn in his leading of the wave of anti-government protests in the country.

A PTI worker and candidate for National Assembly seat NA-153 in 2013, Saeed Khurshid Ahmed, slammed the party’s recent call for civil disobedience in a letter to Khan.

Ahmed said that he had observed a change in Khan’s statements and the party’s position towards the objectives of the opposition “Azadi” or Freedom March, which started on August 14.

He also voiced disappointment with Khan’s demands for the removal of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, saying that such an unconstitutional demand would only stir turmoil in the country.

“I must say in direct words that there is a disappointment amongst the majority of PTI supporters who don’t like violence, hate speeches, anarchy, insulting remarks against institutions, especially the judiciary, police, and a retired army chief, etc,” Ahmed said.

Former president of the Insaf Students Federation (ISF), K. Asif, also expressed dissatisfaction with PTI’s actions.

He said the party had distanced itself from its original slogan of bringing change in a positive manner.

The recent anti-government demonstrations have been led by Khan and cleric Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri.

The protesters have been demanding that Sharif step down from power, accusing him of coming to power through vote rigging.

Khan has not responded to a government call for talks. Qadri has rejected the offer outright.

Earlier, a senior cabinet minister, Ahsan Iqbal, who was appointed by Sharif to lead talks with the opposition, said that, instead of the march, “we request that Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri agree to talks with the government.”