Announcing a nationwide protest movement against alleged rigging in general elections 2024, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced staging a series of rallies across the country starting from Balochistan after Eid ul Fitr.

Addressing the media in Rawalpindi after meeting PTI founder Imran Khan in Adiala jail on Thursday, party leader Asad Qaiser said a first rally would be held in Pishin district as part of the protest movement and a meeting to review arrangements for the rally would be held at Balochistan National Party Chairman Akhtar Mengal’s house on April 12 in Quetta.

PTI leader and former information minister Shibli Faraz said the masses gave the PTI a full mandate which was stolen. However, he said, they had to continue their fight in the court.

“We must differentiate between the people possessing Form 45 and Form 47.” he said adding that the influx of investment in the country was stopped and brain drain was taking place.

Mentioning Senate elections’ delay in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PTI leader asked whether the KP was being victimised for giving a heavy mandate to a party.

He said his party wanted supremacy of the constitution and law in Pakistan. They would not let Pakistan become a banana republic, he said adding that the role of the chief justice was crucial amid current situation.

PTI’s MNA and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub said former first lady Bushra Bibi was not a weakness of Imran but she was his strength.

He apprised media that a medical check-up of Bushra Bibi would be conducted to check for poisoning.

Removing Sher Afzal Marwat and Umair Niazi, incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan has approved new names for his focal persons on Thursday.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said Imran had appointed him, Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, Intazar Panjutha, and Barrister Ali Zafar as his focal persons.

The new list of focal persons issued by Gohar does not include the names of Marwat and Umair. The PTI chairman said the new focal persons were appointed in consultation with Imran.

The PTI founder had on March 28 appointed Marwat and Umair as his focal persons through a list issued with Imran’s signature by the Adiala jail administration.

Later, talking to media in Rawalpindi, Ayub confirmed the new names for Imran’s focal persons.