Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has categorically distanced itself from a ‘fabricated and false’ letter being shared on social media sites quoting party chairman Imran Khan as asking the party leaders to carry weapons and women family members to escape police torture and arrests.
A letter showing signatures of Imran Khan and asking the PTI office-bearers to carry along their women and weapons to avoid arrests by police was being circulated on social networking site Twitter.
When contacted for comments, PTI Information Secretary Naeemul Haq claimed the letter was doctored and was being shared to malign the image of PTI.
“Totally rubbish. This is a part of a malicious propaganda drive to demonise the PTI. They will face wrath of the people of Pakistan sooner than later,” said PTI MNA Shehryar Khan Afridi.
Farrukh Habib, a member of PTI’s task force for the November 2 protest, said that perhaps the PPP leadership had realised that they had been left behind and that is why they had joined the PML-N in targeting PTI through false propaganda.
“We have been telling you that the PPP and PML-N are hands in glove”, he added.
A well-placed source in PTI said that the situation was altogether different as PTI chief had asked the party leaders to focus on bringing the party’s male members as female members could face police brutalities.
The source alleged that the PML-N’s media cell working in the PM House was involved in a malicious propaganda against PTI and it was unfortunate to note that some of the PPP’s top leaders had also joined the campaign.
The letter, titled ‘Classified Order S No. 122-E/162’ carried some instructions for the party’s MNAs, MPAs and office bearers.
Clause 3 of the letter said, “All the voters are encouraged to bring with them female as well as male members of their families since it would be hard for the police to attack the families.”
Clause 5 of the letter said that those who have licensed arms are also encouraged to bring their arms for safety but WEAPON SHOW OFF is strictly prohibited.
Clause 7 asks party workers to keep an eye on local police stations and if any information is received about arrests of any party member, you must gather outside the station for urgent release of the member.
At the end of the letter, the party chairman’s name was written as ‘Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi’. PTI leaders claimed that PTI chief never used Ahmed or Niazi with his official name which proves that the letter is fake.
