KOHAT: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader and former federal state minister Shehryar Khan Afridi has termed the May 9 riots a conspiracy hatched by political opponents to eliminate Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Speaking in a video message issued from an unidentified location on Saturday, he said that he was tortured and asked to address a press conference against former PTI chairman Imran Khan, but he refused to do so.

Mr Afridi alleged that the ouster of the PTI government was part of the London plan, made by the local conspirators and supported by the United States, as Imran Khan refused to provide bases to the US to carry out drone attacks from Pakistani soil on Afghanistan.

“Our leader taught consciousness of self-respect to the people and worked to unite the Muslim countries and spoke against Islamophobia at the United Nations,” he said.

The former minster claimed that the oppression against PTI was meant to divide the nation, but the people adhered to the vision of Mr Khan.

He elaborated that PTI stood for the supremacy of the Constitution and justice.

He added that all the other parties were afraid of PTI’s popularity. He went on to say that the ouster of the PTI government and the subsequent torturing of the party leaders and workers had drawn international condemnation.

Mr Afridi said that harassment of the party workers had not broken their resolve and courage and the sacrifices being given by them would not go in vain.

The former minister for states and frontier regions and narcotics control urged the people to raise their voices against such injustices in a peaceful manner.

He showed confidence that the party workers would not shun their support for Imran Khan.

Mr Afridi urged the party workers, especially women, to play their indispensible role by participating in the Feb 8 elections.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2023