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Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Imran to lead movement from behind bars
Listen to article Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former premier Imran Khan announced on Saturday the launch of a nationwide protest movement against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led ruling coalition, declaring that he will lead the campaign from behind bars. The announcement was conveyed by PTI Senator Ali Zafar following his meeting with the incarcerated party's supremo at Adiala Jail. Addressing the media outside the prison, the senator said the former PM had decided that the waiting game was over and the party would now take to the streets in a well-organised countrywide campaign. "The protest will not be limited to Islamabad," Zafar said. "It will be held across the country. The chairman [Khan] said we have been pushed to the wall. We are left with no choice but to go to the people." Khan, who has been behind bars since August 2023 on a raft of charges including corruption and incitement to violenceallegations he deniestold Zafar he would oversee the movement from jail and directly issue instructions to party leaders. According to Zafar, Khan has tasked him with preparing a comprehensive plan for the protest campaign, which will be finalised after further consultations with the party's legal team and senior leadership. "The chairman has full faith in the leadership, but he insists on leading the movement himself," Zafar said, "he [Khan] has asked me to draft the initial protest strategy, which will be presented in the next meeting." The announcement comes against the backdrop of months of political gridlock and PTI's persistent claims of being denied a fair shake. Khan and his party have maintained that the legal actions against him were politically engineered and aimed at erasing him from the political playing field. Khan's statement followed closely on the heels of his recent overtures to the country's powerful stakeholders, during which he expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue for national unity. He had reiterated openness to a "give and take" with the establishment, but "only for Pakistan's interest," not for personal relief. However, Saturday's message marked a shift in gears. "We are not getting any relief from the judiciary or the executive," Khan was quoted as saying. "No option has been left for us. We must now go to the streets." According to Zafar, Khan was adamant that this round of agitation would not be like previous attempts that fizzled out due to internal rifts and external pressures. "He wants the campaign to be fully planned and effective," Zafar said. "He knows there will be obstacles, but he believes we also have ways to overcome them." This is not the first time PTI has threatened to launch a street movement. The party had announced a protest after Eid earlier this year, but the plan never got off the ground, fuelling scepticism even among some supporters. However, Khan's renewed resolve suggests a return to a more confrontational path ahead. Moreover, the development is likely to dial up tensions between PTI and the military establishment. Despite Khan's earlier calls for reconciliation, relations remain fraught. Notably, PTI leaders were absent from a recent military-hosted dinner celebrating the success of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, Pakistan's retaliatory operation following Indian aggression in May. The conspicuous absence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur from the event further underscored the lingering chill. Despite moments of cooperation during the Pakistan-India standoff, the mutual distrust between PTI and the establishment appears to have deepened. Meanwhile, ministers from the ruling PML-N coalition have continued to scoff at PTI's protest plans, pointing to the party's failure to mobilise mass support since Khan's arrest. However, Khan's call to action from a prison cell may still energise PTI's base, which has remained active online and during sporadic public gatherings. Party leaders have been hinting for weeks that a decisive moment was in the offing. "This time, the movement will not be symbolic," Zafar said. "It will be decisive. And the chairman will lead it from his prison cell." PTI insiders say the final contours of the protest strategy will be shaped in the coming days. Observers note that whether Khan's call translates into sustained public mobilisation remains to be seen, especially in a political climate where opposition space has been sharply curtailed.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Imran signals readiness to 'give-and-take'
Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan once again expressed willingness to hold direct talks with the country's powerful stakeholders on Thursday, saying he was ready for a "give and take" only in the interest of Pakistan. Speaking to party leaders at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, the PTI founder, while emphasising that he wasn't seeking any personal relief, said that the doors for dialogue with the establishment were open, saying he was ready to talk at any time for the sake of country and national unity. PTI Senator Ali Zafar, after meeting Khan in jail, told the media that the former premier had made it clear that any settlement would be for the country, not for personal gain. "There is no personal give and take involved," Zafar said before quoting Khan as saying: "if I wanted concessions for myself, I would have asked for them long ago and wouldn't have spent 600 days in jail." To a question about recent remarks by Khan's sister, Aleema Khan, Zafar said that Khan clarified that any notion of a give-and-take approach would be strictly for Pakistan's benefit. "I am not asking for any relief in my cases," Zafar attributed to Khan, adding "I only want justice, and I want my cases to be heard without delay." Reportedly, Aleema recently called for direct talks with the "unseen forces" to secure her brother's release through a possible "give and take" arrangement. Speaking to media in Islamabad, she claimed that judges handling Khan's cases were under pressure, pointing out that Khan's cases come on the cause list but are then not taken up. Khan, who was ousted from office via a no-confidence vote in 2022, has been in jail since August 2023. He faces a range of charges, including corruption and abetting violence, which his party maintains are politically motivated. To another question, Zafar said that Khan also confirmed that a protest campaign against the ruling PML-N-led coalition had already been announced and that the party would unveil its strategy in the coming days. Zafar said that Khan has instructed the party leadership to prepare for the movement, warning that he would no longer remain patient if no one comes out. "No one will be allowed to play from both sides of the fence," he said. Khan's renewed outreach has come at a time when his party hasn't been able to get any relief for him since he was arrested and sent behind bars in August 2023. His party says that the imprisonment is aimed at sidelining him from the national political landscape. Nevertheless, Khan's continued imprisonment has not only remained a rallying point for PTI leaders and supporters but become a central issue in the party's ongoing standoff with the establishment. The rift between PTI and powerful stakeholders was evident last Friday as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had skipped a formal dinner hosted by the newly-elevated Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir – also the Chief of Army Staff. Surprising as it may seem, PTI leaders were not invited for the dinner to celebrate success in the operation Bunyanum Mursoos. On May 10, 2025, Pakistan had launched a retaliatory response to unprovoked Indian aggression, including missile strikes on Pakistani airbases and civilian areas.
News18
24-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Pakistan Senator Calls Indus Waters Treaty 'Water Bomb', Issues 'Famine' Warning To Govt
Last Updated: India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in a punitive measure against Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that claimed 26 lives. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear that Pakistan will not get India's water, referring to the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistani Senator Syed Ali Zafar called the suspension of the treaty a 'water bomb". The MP from former PM Imran Khan's party also urged the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan government to 'defuse" the 'water bomb". 'Water scarcity is a war being imposed on us. Predictions about 21st-century wars being fought over water are proving true. If we don't solve our water issues, we may face famine. The Indus is our lifeline – it's essentially a water bomb hanging over us that we must defuse," he said. Notably, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in a punitive measure against Islamabad in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that claimed 26 lives. Under the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan has access to the waters of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while India is entitled to use those from the eastern Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers. Zafar said that water is a fundamental human right of the lower riparian and claimed that IWT 'explicitly bars India from stopping Pakistan's water share. It cannot be unilaterally suspended – that would be a violation". Zafar also mentioned that force can be used in self-defence under international law if the flow of water is stopped. His remark came only a day after PM Modi said, 'Pakistan's army and economy will have to pay for every terror attack… Pakistan will not get India's water. They will have to pay for playing with India's blood. This is India's resolution and no power of the world can shake us from this resolution." The Prime Minister's remark came during his first rally in Rajasthan's Bikaner after the Pahalgam attack. Meanwhile, Pakistan has said that any attempt to block Pakistan's water through the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty would be treated as 'an act of war". Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 24, 2025, 08:12 IST
Express Tribune
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Senators fire broadside at India
Senators on Friday fired a broadside at India over its attempts to unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), warning that such a provocation would cross a red line and could trigger legal, diplomatic and even military retaliation under international law. Taking the floor during a Senate session chaired by Senator Irfan Siddiqui at Parliament House, PTI parliamentary leader Barrister Ali Zafar asserted that India had no lawful grounds to pull the plug on the decades-old treaty. He cautioned that tampering with the flow of water was tantamount to a declaration of war. The legal expert cited international law, including Article 51 of the UN Charter and Articles 54 and 49 of the Geneva Convention, saying the provisions leave no wiggle room. Pakistan reserves the right to respond with full force across all fronts if India dares to stop even a single drop, he added. He went on to warn that if India violated the treaty, Pakistan had the legal right to destroy Indian dams with missiles or disable their functionality through military force. "International law says that if India blocks even a single drop of water, Pakistan can strike their dams with missiles." "Article 12(4) of the Indus Waters Treaty clearly states that no unilateral changes can be made. If alterations are necessary, both countries must negotiate and enter into a new agreement," Zafar added. He also recalled India's past violations, including the construction of the Kishanganga Dam, where Pakistan approached the international court too late. "We are a lower riparian state. International law says that lower riparian states have an inalienable right to water. Denying that right can be countered by any measure necessary to preserve the treaty." Zafar pointed out that Pakistan built one of the world's largest canal systems under the IWT and that any attempt by India to disrupt it shows its unreliability and contempt for international commitments. "The time is ripe to expose India's actions to the world," the PTI leader stressed. "When we previously sought international arbitration, India used statements by our own ministers against us. Now, it alleges terrorism as a pretext for suspending the treaty." "If we fail to resolve this water crisis, people will starve. This is bigger than politics," the PTI leader stressed. PTI's Senator Dr Humayun Mohmand likened India's actions to a hostile neighbour cutting off water. "If someone blocks water from your adjacent house, you either persuade them to open it or you open it yourself," he said. "India only understands the language of force." He dismissed statements by Pakistan's finance minister downplaying the immediate impact of India's actions. "If Modi cared about international norms, he wouldn't be doing this," he said. "Land grabbers only understand a Kalashnikov pressed to their temple." JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza also criticised India's longstanding behaviour. "India has always created water-related problems for us," he said. He stressed the need for a Senate committee comprising members from all parties to examine the issue thoroughly and advise the government accordingly.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pak politician's ‘water bomb' and ‘famine' warning to his govt over suspension of Indus Waters Treaty
A Pakistani opposition politician on Friday reportedly referred to India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam attack as a 'water bomb' and urged his country's government to 'defuse' it to avoid famine in the country. 'Water scarcity is a war being imposed on us. Predictions about 21st-century wars being fought over water are proving true,' PTI news agency quoted senator Ali Zafar of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party as saying. 'If we don't solve our water issues, we may face famine. The Indus is our lifeline – it's essentially a water bomb hanging over us that we must defuse,' he told the senate, according to the news agency. Zafar claimed that the Indus Water Treaty "explicitly bars India from stopping Pakistan's water share and claimed that it cannot be unilaterally suspended. Also Read | Pakistan minister calls for 'dialogue' with India, warns over Indus Waters Treaty: 'Act of war…' 'If India wants to terminate the agreement, both countries must negotiate a new one. They (Indians) cannot simply nullify it – they would have to dismantle their dams first,' he said. Zafar also claimed that under international law, force can be used in self-defence if the water flow is stopped, according to PTI. A day after the April 22 terrorist attack in Baisaran near Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, India took major punitive actions against Pakistan, including the decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. Brokered by the World Bank, the 1960 treaty defines a mechanism for water sharing and information exchange between the two nuclear-armed neighbour nations for the use of the Indus River water and its five tributaries Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Jhelum, and Chenab. Also Read | India's 5 big moves against Pakistan: One month since Pahalgam terror attack Pakistan has called on India to reconsider its decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, describing it as unilateral and a violation of the pact's terms. Questions over the treaty were also raised after India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire understanding on May 10, following intense cross-border fighting after Operation Sindoor. Also Read | India to rebuild canals, dig new ones to tap into Indus However, external affairs minister S Jaishankar made it clear that New Delhi is willing to hold talks with Islamabad only on the issue of terror. He asserted that the Indus Waters Treaty will remain in abeyance until cross-border terrorism by Pakistan is "irrevocably stopped". On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed that Pakistan will not get water from India's rivers, reiterating the continued suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. "Pakistan will not get a single drop of water that belongs to India. Playing with the blood of Indians will cost Pakistan dearly. This is India's resolve and no one in the world can deter us from this commitment," he said.
