Senator Faisal Vawda Claims Imran Khan’s December 14 Civil Disobedience Call is a Pressure Tactic Against Faiz Hamid’s Trial:
On Sunday, Senator Faisal Vawda alleged that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan had deliberately chosen December 14 for launching a civil disobedience movement in order to influence the trial of former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief, Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hamid. Vawda, addressing a press conference in Karachi following a meeting with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leaders, stated, “The decision to set December 14 as the date for civil disobedience is not driven by Pakistan’s interests but by PTI’s perception that the legal proceedings against Faiz Hamid will commence after that date.”
He further criticized PTI’s move as a pressure tactic, arguing that they had miscalculated, as legal actions against the former ISI chief were expected to begin before December 14.
Faiz Hamid, who was arrested by the army in August, faces allegations of land grabbing and stealing valuables from a private housing society owner. His arrest and subsequent court-martial proceedings have become a point of contention, with the opposition accusing him of having close ties to Imran Khan and PTI. The opposition claims that Hamid had facilitated PTI both inside and outside parliament.
Vawda’s comments came in the wake of Imran Khan’s recent warning about launching a civil disobedience movement if the government failed to meet his demands, which include a judicial probe into the May 9 crackdown on PTI supporters. Khan had also called for a commission to investigate the late-night crackdown on PTI protesters on November 26.
In his address, Vawda emphasized the importance of the establishment’s role in Pakistan, stating that the armed forces and judiciary worked in tandem with politicians for the betterment of the country. “The role of the establishment cannot be erased,” he declared, praising the security forces for their sacrifices at the border and acknowledging the combined efforts of the establishment, judiciary, and political leaders for the nation’s development.
Vawda also touched on the internal politics of PTI, criticizing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and former first lady Bushra Bibi for allegedly politicizing Imran Khan’s personal situation. He further claimed that Khan’s life was in danger while in custody.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan, who previously referred to a “trump card” in his political strategy, announced last week the formation of a five-member negotiation committee. The committee, composed of Omar Ayub Khan, Gandapur, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Salman Akram Raja, and Asad Qaiser, was tasked with negotiating two key demands with the federal government: the release of political prisoners and the establishment of a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9, 2023, and the violent crackdown on PTI protesters in late November.
Imran Khan warned that if the government failed to meet these demands by December 14, PTI would initiate a civil disobedience movement, holding the government responsible for the consequences. Additionally, the former prime minister announced plans for a “grand gathering” in Peshawar on December 13 to honor the martyrs he claims were killed during PTI’s Islamabad protest. PTI asserts that at least 12 of its workers were killed and over 1,000 arrested during the crackdown, while the government denies using live ammunition against the protesters and maintains that four law enforcement officers, including three Rangers personnel and a policeman, were martyred.
