LAHORE: The national clampdown against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose August 5 march has been awaited in suspense, redoubled on Wednesday when police acquired a heavy hand to curb the protest. There have been complaints of PTI leaders and workers being rounded up from their homes amid intense pressure. They were also reportedly threatened, and in some cases, even had their bank accounts frozen, leaving many potential defectors alarmed about their future. Here is a short explainer of where the story stands so far:
The PTI Crackdown: A Developing Crisis
In the lead-up to the proposed protest on August 5, police during recent days have increased their crackdown on PTI. In different parts of Punjab, party members are making complaints of home raids by police and urging them to make promises via signatures that PTI workers will not participate in the protest. The intimidation campaign is growing and is having an impact on the ranks of the party.
Raid on Party Workers by Police: Long Live the Fear
In Punjab, PTI workers have claimed that since August 1, police teams have been visiting their houses. The “door-knocking” campaign is a deliberate effort to intimidate workers in order to suppress protest participation, with authorities forcing them to sign commitments not to attend the rally. This spearheaded mission reminds me more of a “terror program” as it has simply caused the community to go underground and hide in fear of being arrested.
PTI leadership is also on the target. As reports continue to come in, various party leaders have gone underground to avoid arrest, with the functioning of the party thus badly hit from within their ranks. The government has made every possible move to break the coming protest, including surveillance and squeezing families of PTI, sources in PTI told.
Financial Restrictions: Bank Accounts Frozen
Besides the physical pressure being put on PTI leaders and workers, the party is also facing financial constraints. According to the reports, bank accounts of some PTI leaders, including a senior office-bearer in Punjab, Hafiz Zeeshan Rasheed, have been frozen. This is not the only case, as many accounts of PTI leadership are said to be hacked. The financial measures are also widely viewed as an attempt to further hamstring the party’s ability to mobilize for the protest.
What’s Next for PTI?
The PTI’s protest on August 5 is now even more important as the crackdown continues. The protest is expected to be a turning point in the politics of Pakistan, as both party leaders are abroad and pressure is mounting on party workers. However, PTI leaders ensured to keep their protest going no matter how tough the situation gets, giving a clear message to the government.
It is uncertain whether or not the protest will materialize as planned, although one thing is for certain: the confrontation between PTI and government factions has intensified to levels where both parties are readying for a political showdown.
