Imran Khan’s party dissociates itself from ‘overseas protests’ outside IMF, World Bank

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 17 (ANI): Imran Khan-founded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has dissociated itself with the ongoing protests by Pakistanis in the United States outside the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) headquarters, Geo News reported.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar said that these demonstrations are the individual decision of those involved and party has not played any part in it.

“If overseas Pakistanis are making up something, then it would be their own decision,” Gohar said while speaking to media outside Adiala Jail.

Notably, several PTI workers from overseas chapter staged protests outside the IMF and WB headquarters in Washington against alleged irregularities in the 2024 general elections in Pakistan, as reported by Geo News.

The Saturday protest in US was attended by Imran Khan’s ex-chief of staff, Shahbaz Gill and PTI spokesperson in the United States, Sajjad Burki.

The demonstration — organised by “First Pakistan Global” — alleged that the PTI’s National Assembly seats were “reduced” to 90 from 180 in the general elections, The News reported.

The protests drew severe criticism from the Pakistani government at the time when the country was seeking another bailout package from the global lender to address its economic woes.

Responding to this criticism, the PTI chairman said that the party did not ask the IMF to stop disbursing financial aid to Pakistan; however, it admitted that the party urged the global lender’s recall its commitments for free and fair elections and transparent allocations of its funds.

Speaking further, Gohar said that his party’s merger with Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) was “serious and best decision” in the circumstances prevailing at the time when PTI lost its “bat” symbol and was looking for options to secure its reserved seats.

Gohar added that the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision upholding the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) ruling to deny reserved seats to PTI would be challenged in the apex court.