PTI's Response to Scripted Interviews
After the failure of scripted press conferences, PTI leaders who were a victim of enforced disappearance, are being forced to give scripted interviews on private television channels.
Theses interview are like "old wine in a new bottle". After spending 24 days in the custody of "unknown" kidnappers, Usman Dar's and Sadaqat Abbasi’s appearance on a private TV channel undoubtedly exposes the kidnappers themselves.
Usman Dar was abducted from Karachi on September 10th.
Statements/messages of Usman Dar's family members, including his mother and brother, are on record regarding circumstances of the enforced disappearance of Usman Dar.
During the last 5 months, the whole nation has seen police raids on Usman Dar's residence, mistreatment of his mother and other female family members, and his factory and residence being unlawfully sealed by authorities.
Signs of physical and mental torture and coercion during this 24-day enforced disappearance, were evident from his trembling voice, hesitant body language, and incoherent thoughts.
The interview, given five months after the events of May 9th, following 24 days of enforced disappearance, has no significance in the eyes of the public nor does it have any legal status.
Another PTI leader, Sadaqat Abbasi, appeared in a similar fashion on a different private news channel, providing a scripted interview in which he accused Imran Khan. There were concerns that similar tactics might be employed with other abducted leaders, including Farrukh Habib and Sheikh Rasheed, and that more such scripted dramas would be broadcast.
PTI leadership responded to this propaganda with an ingenious idea: they released video messages where they took an oath on the Holy Quran to express their support for Chairman Imran Khan. In these messages, they swore that neither Imran Khan nor any other party leadership had ever instructed them to resort to violence or attack national institutions. Furthermore, they emphasized that PTI and Imran Khan were not connected to the events of May 9th. Imran Khan had consistently advised them to maintain a peaceful approach and exercise their democratic right to protest without resorting to any form of institutional violence.
Many leaders also called for an investigation into the events of May 9th by a high-level judicial commission. They stressed the importance of holding elections within the constitutionally mandated 90-day period to ensure that the people's fundamental right to vote was upheld.
In conclusion, they reiterated that only this video message should be considered authentic, and any other statements should be regarded as false and made under duress.