Amid India tensions, PTI wants Imran’s voice heard
• Ali Zafar says such a gesture of political unity will strengthen Pakistan’s case globally
• Irfan Siddiqui calls Pahalgam attack ‘false-flag operation’
• Senators warn New Delhi against changes to Indus treaty
ISLAMABAD: The main opposition, PTI, has demanded the release of its incarcerated leader Imran Khan so he can participate in national deliberations on escalating tensions with India in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.
The party also called for an immediate multi-party conference (MPC), with Mr Khan in attendance.
The demands were made in the Senate on Monday, as lawmakers from both sides of the aisle slammed India for suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and fanning war hysteria following the April 22 attack.
Senator Ali Zafar, PTI’s parliamentary leader in the Senate, said political differences should be set aside for an issue of national importance.
He noted that a multi-party conference was the only “correct thing to do in the present circumstances”.
If Mr Khan is allowed to attend such a meeting, Mr Zafar said it would send a signal across the world that Pakistan is united and make the country’s case stronger.
He also criticised Indian PM Narendra Modi’s government and its “Nazi mentality” for falsely accusing Pakistan — which is itself a victim of terrorism.
“I want to tell the world that this is a blatant and baseless lie motivated by malice.”
He added New Delhi has a “habit of levelling such allegations” and also called the Indian government an “expert in carrying out false flag operations”.
PTI Senator Shibli Faraz said Mr Khan should be allowed to appear on TV to give a call to people for a public gathering at Minar-i-Pakistan and a march toward the Wagah border with India.
Mr Faraz, the opposition leader in Senate, expressed confidence that “over ten million people” will gather on Mr Khan’s call.
“Only a true representative of the people can give a strong message to India,” he said, warning the enemy “takes advantage of political instability”.
He demanded the release of all “political prisoners” and doing away with the practice of filing false cases against political opponents.
’False-flag operation ’
PML-N Senator Irfanul Haq Siddiqui said the Pahalgam incident was a “false flag operation carried out by the Indian authorities to defame Pakistan”.
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He said India routinely accused Pakistan without any investigation or evidence. “India accused Pakistan within minutes of the Pahalgam incident, but the international community refused to accept their false narrative.”
Senator Siddiqui also raised critical questions about the security situation in India-held Kashmir.
He questioned how a major terrorist attack took place despite the “presence of army checkpoints at every corner and the deployment of one Indian soldier for every seven Kashmiris”.
Mr Siddiqui warned India against carrying out any attack in Pakistan, saying the people were “fully prepared and united to defend the motherland” despite internal political differences.
The PML-N senator also referred to growing internal dissent within India, noting that voices from within the country were now questioning PM Modi’s handling of the situation.
The BAP parliamentary leader in the Senate said the Pahalgam attack, which took place in an area with high military presence “clearly exposed that it was a false flag operation”.
He said India was involved in target killings in different countries and was responsible for various terrorist attacks inside Pakistan and there was “irrefutable evidence” of Indian funding to outlawed groups BLA and TTP.
Suspension of IWT
Talking about India’s move to suspend the IWT, Mr Siddiqui said New Delhi cannot unilaterally terminate the agreement.
“The Indus Waters Treaty involves the World Bank as an arbitrator along with several other international institutions. India cannot simply walk away from its obligations,” he stressed.
Senator Zafar of PTI also agreed with Mr Siddiqui saying that India has no right to unilaterally suspend, amend or cancel the treaty.
Mr Zafar, who is also a constitutional expert, said any such action by the Modi government will be “illegal and against the principles of international law”.
He said the announcement by India to suspend the treaty had no legal effect and Pakistan has rejected it.
Calling water a “basic human right”, he warned India that any disruption to the water flows of Pakistan would be “an act of war”.
“We will fight for each drop of water till the last drop of our blood.”
Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2025