Part of the central secretariat belonging to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been vandalised in Islamabad over “violation of building regulations”.
Islamabad: According to a Geo News report, parts of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) central secretariat were demolished in Islamabad by the Capital Development Authority on Thursday citing “violation of building rules”. The party founded by Imran Khan strongly opposed the CDA’s action. The CDA in a statement said that its anti-encroachment teams launched a drive to demolish illegal structures in the city on Thursday and that encroachments by “political parties” have been removed.
Officials added that the land was allotted in the name of one Sartaj Ali. An additional storey was constructed on the land in violation of building regulations, Geo News reported.
The agency said it had notified PTI but to no avail. As the operation was carried out, the political party founded by former prime minister Imran Khan asked its members to immediately reach the secretariat. PTI said the government had begun demolishing the offices in an “illegal and unjustified manner”.
The CDA said it had issued several notices to the PTI, but party convener Advocate Gohar Khan said they had not received any orders from the CDA.
Khan said CDA officials had been asked to provide documentation of the operation but had been unable to do so. “If there had been any infiltration and they had informed us earlier, we would have removed it ourselves,” he said.
Speaking to reporters outside the party’s office, PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub slammed the CDA and stressed that the party would raise the issue of the CDA in parliament, Geo News reported.
“PTI strongly condemns the CDA’s action,” Ayub said. He stressed that the city administration launched the operation at night without any prior notice. He added that police had arrested PTI leader Amir Mughal, Geo News reported.
After completing the operation, CDA personnel sealed off the PTI central office and pasted up order letters. During the operation, PTI activists resisted CDA attempts to vandalize the office, resulting in the arrest of several party operatives by Islamabad authorities.
In a statement shared on X, PTI Islamabad said, “Late night armed intrusion and vandalism at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf central office. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf strongly condemns this infiltration of the country’s largest political party by a government that came to power in the dark of night. We reiterate our resolve not to succumb to intimidation, lawlessness and blind use of force and never abandon the agenda of true freedom.”
“Power thieves and their supporters are shocked to see their end,” Tehreek-e-Insaf spokesman said. The illegal entry into Tehreek-e-Insaf’s central secretariat is a reflection of the fear among them. Fools consider our unwavering loyalty to the constitution and law and our determination to pursue political struggle in a peaceful manner as our weakness,” he added.
