Stressing the need to address economic challenges being faced by the country, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said on Saturday that Pakistan’s economic stability is interlinked with political stability.

The PTI chairman made the remarks while addressing the party’s power show in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Swabi. The former ruling party is observing a “Balck Day” today against alleged rigging in the general election last year. PTI claimed that their mandate was stolen during elections on the same day last year while the ruling coalition denies the allegations.

A number of PTI leaders and workers have been arrested in Multan, Muzaffarabad and other cities as the Imran Khan-founded party held rallies nationwide on the first anniversary of last year’s controversial elections.

Addressing the Swabi Jalsa, Barrister Gohar reiterated his party’s claim saying: “We had won elections in Punjab. Our mandate was stolen in the darkness of the night [during the polls].”

Speaking on the occasion, the PTI chairman stressed the need for the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. He said: “There will be political stability if the judiciary is independent.”  

Moving on to the stalled talks between the PTI and the ruling coalition, he said that the former ruling party entered the negotiation process in light of the direction of the incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan.

“Imran Khan directed to initiate talks for the sake of the country,” he added.

PTI backed out of the dialogue process last month as the government did not accept their key demands about setting up judicial commissions to probe the May 9, 2023 incidents and the Nov 26, 2024 police crackdown against its workers in Islamabad.  

This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.