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                        <title>The Express Tribune</title>
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                        <description>The Express Tribune keeps you up to date with all the latest happenings from Pakistan and across the world!</description>
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			<title>IHC orders Islamabad administration to engage with PTI amid protest call</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2483077/ihc-orders-islamabad-administration-to-engage-with-pti-amid-protest-call</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2483077/ihc-orders-islamabad-administration-to-engage-with-pti-amid-protest-call#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jul 24 06:36:59 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Court directs that a decision be communicated by the afternoon following the consultation]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has mandated the administration in the federal capital to consult with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) within two hours concerning their request to hold a protest in Islamabad today.

Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz presided over the hearing of a petition filed by Aamir Mughal, seeking approval for PTI&rsquo;s protest. Shoaib Shaheen represented the petitioner, while State Counsel Malik Abdul Rehman appeared for the district administration.

The court ordered that the decision be communicated by the afternoon following the consultation.

Read IHC orders permanent fix for PTI rally conundrum

State Counsel informed the court that PTI&#39;s request had been received and an order was issued. Justice Imtiaz noted the potential presence of another protest in Islamabad, which the State Counsel denied knowledge of. The administration rejected all protest requests within Islamabad citing public safety concerns.

Shoaib Shaheen argued that PTI&rsquo;s initial NOC for a rally was revoked and that they are constitutionally entitled to peaceful protests outside the National Press Club. He referenced a high court decision supporting this right.

The State Counsel countered that no order under Section 144 permits such gatherings, prompting the judge to question if the law prohibits large public gatherings outside the Press Club.

Shaheen proposed F-9 Park as an alternative if the Press Club location is not permitted. The court then paused the hearing, directing the administration to consult and provide a decision by 12:30 PM on PTI&rsquo;s protest request.

PTI cancelled July 6 rally

Earlier this month, PTI cancelled its rally on July 6, planned for Tarnol Chowk in Islamabad after getting embroiled in a legal dispute with local authorities over the revocation of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) that was garnted earlier to party.

PTI leader Omar Ayub criticised the Islamabad administration, stating, &quot;The administration had initially granted permission for today&#39;s rally, but police sealed the area overnight. The DC Islamabad had signed the orders; were they under the influence when they granted the permission?&quot;

He maintained that despite court orders, rally equipment was removed late at night.

&quot;The Tarnol site was provided by the administration themselves. They revoked the NOC out of fear of PTI workers. Two brothers of Azhar Mashwani were detained. We will question the budget allocation for these operations compared to that for schools,&quot; Ayub stated.

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>PTI dissatisfied with Islamabad rally venue, to challenge decision in fresh plea</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2469176/pti-dissatisfied-with-islamabad-rally-venue-to-challenge-decision-in-fresh-plea</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2469176/pti-dissatisfied-with-islamabad-rally-venue-to-challenge-decision-in-fresh-plea#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 31 May 24 10:57:27 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2469176</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PTI wants to hold rally at F9 Park]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) received the green light on Friday from Islamabad&#39;s administration to hold a rally in the Rawat area of GT Road.&nbsp;

Last week, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner&nbsp;Irfan Nawaz Memon turned down the party&rsquo;s request to hold a rally in view of the &quot;law and order situation&quot; stating that the party had already violated NOCs (no objection certificates) issued on earlier occasions.

The decision was conveyed to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) by a capital administration representative as it heard a contempt case regarding the party being denied permission to hold a rally.

Legal counsel for PTI Shoaib Shaheen voiced the party&#39;s decision to organise the rally at Fatima Jinnah Park (F-9 Park). In response, the court remarked that PTI can initiate a new petition to challenge the administration&rsquo;s decision regarding the venue.

Read IHC seeks swift decision on PTI&rsquo;s rally plea

The district administration granted permission to hold the rally under 39 conditions, including adherence to the scheduled end time and prohibition of anti-state slogans or speeches. Security will be the party&#39;s responsibility, and any form of rioting or damage to public property will not be tolerated.

Read more SHC rules in favour of PTI rally

Speaking informally to the media outside the court, Shoaib expressed PTI&#39;s intention&nbsp;to challenge the DC&#39;s decision to permit the rally in Rawat. He stated the party&#39;s&nbsp;preference for holding the rally in F-9 Park while condemning the DC&rsquo;s office for presenting a &quot;dishonest and biased&quot; letter.

&ldquo;Rallies in Islamabad have historically occurred at three locations: F-9 Park, Parade Ground, and Peshawar Morr. There has never been a rally in Rawat,&rdquo; stated Shoaib.

Shoaib pointed out the blatant &#39;dishonesty and corruption&#39; prevalent within the administration, stating that &quot;everyone knows who is behind it&quot;.

Furthermore, he added that upon the issuance of a new order concerning the contempt of court request, the court has permitted us to challenge it through a fresh petition.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>PTI stages rally four founder’s release</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463466/pti-stages-rally-four-founders-release</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2463466/pti-stages-rally-four-founders-release#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 21 Apr 24 21:03:50 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2463466</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Citizens stuck for hours on Sharae Faisal as police erect barricades]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged a rally from its headquarters in Karachi, Insaaf House, in the Nursery area to Quaid&#39;s mausoleum on MA Jinnah Road on Sunday.

PTI activists braved police barricades, baton and arrest during the rally, while commuters suffered hours-long traffic jam due to the melee. Party&#39;s central leader Sher Afzal Marwat said they would hold a mammoth rally in the city on April 28 to highlight their struggle for the release of the founder of PTI.

Addressing party workers at the Quaid&#39;s Mazar he reiterated that 17 candidates of PTI had won National Assembly seats from Karachi in 2018, however, their mandate was stolen and given to MQM-P. Marwat said that the struggle will continue till the release of the founder of PTI.

The rally led by Marwat reached Jinnah&#39;s mausoleum via Shaheed Millat Road. A large number of children, women and elderly also participated in the rally.

The participants of the rally raised slogans in favour of the PTI founder and condemned the barriers erected by the police.

Marwat said in his address that the rally was peaceful, but the police disrupted it. He said that PTI workers were arrested despite informing the administration about the rally route. He asked Bilawal Bhutto to order the police to release PTI workers.

The poor strategy of the police to stop the rally led by PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat from Sharah-e-Faisal Insaf House became a torture for the citizens.

Police kept the road to Insaf House closed for the whole day by placing barriers and stationing personnel. However, in the afternoon, mobiles were parked on Sharae Faisal, which badly affected the flow of traffic. Commuters passing through the main artery of the city got stuck in an hours-long traffic jam along with many ambulances.Some people tried to use the service road, which was also closed by parking prisoner vans and police mobiles.

With the arrival of the rally, the track of SharaeFaisal from Nursery to Metropole was completely closed. Long queues of vehicles were formed due to which citizens were stuck in traffic jam for two hours. Before the departure of the rally, the second track was also closed for traffic. There were reports of the rally route being blocked at other places in the city as well, due to which the citizens passing through most of the major roads of the city faced agony.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2024.]]>
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			<title>PTI seeks to hold rally in Lahore on Oct 15</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2439389/pti-seeks-to-hold-rally-in-lahore-on-oct-15</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2439389/pti-seeks-to-hold-rally-in-lahore-on-oct-15#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 05 Oct 23 14:03:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Imran Adnan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2439389</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Former ruling party seeks permission to hold public gathering at Liberty Chowk from Lahore Deputy Commissioner]]>
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				<![CDATA[As the nation gears up for the upcoming general elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday requested permission from the district administration to hold a public gathering at Liberty Chowk in Lahore on October 15.

In a written application, the Central Punjab wing of the party approached the Lahore Deputy Commissioner to seek approval for the public gathering.

The objective of the gathering is to unveil the party&#39;s election strategy to the general public ahead of the general elections. The PTI has also pledged to adhere to all legal requirements for hosting the rally.

A spokesperson for the party stressed that conducting general elections is a constitutional obligation, and it falls upon the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold elections within the mandated 90-day period following the dissolution of assemblies.

He reiterated that the state is subservient to the Constitution, which enshrines the free will of the people as the foundation of the political and governmental system. Any suspension of a part of the Constitution amounts to the suspension of the entire Constitution, which is a grave offence, the spokesperson maintained.

Regarding the conduct of elections, He emphasised that the Constitution does not grant any state institution, either independently or in conjunction with others, the authority to make decisions contrary to its intended purpose.

The spokesperson pointed out that the Constitution&#39;s provisions regarding the five-year term of elected assemblies and the timely or premature dissolution of these assemblies are explicit and unequivocal.

In the event of a premature dissolution of the assembly, he said that the Constitution mandates the holding of elections within 90 days, adding that this interpretation has been affirmed by the Supreme Court and endorsed by President Dr Arif Alvi.

The Election Commission of Pakistan and the caretaker government now have a mere 34 days left to comply with the constitutional timeline, the spokesperson pointed out.

He highlighted that the president, in a letter to the ECP, has already proposed November 9 as the election date. Any violation of the Constitution by delaying the elections beyond the stipulated 90 days would render the ECP and the caretaker prime minister, along with his cabinet, liable for violating the Constitution, subject to action under Article 6 of the Constitution.

The spokesperson suggested that Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Qazi Faez Isa should proactively prevent any premature breach of the Constitution and oblige the ECP and the caretaker government to uphold the Constitution&#39;s provisions.

The spokesperson concluded by stating that the nation would not tolerate any attempts to postpone the people&#39;s right to vote.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Twitter alert: A year after the PTI 'Tsunami' swept Lahore</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/458268/twitter-alert-a-year-after-the-pti-tsunami-swept-lahore</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/458268/twitter-alert-a-year-after-the-pti-tsunami-swept-lahore#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 30 Oct 12 09:28:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[web.desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=458268</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PTI supporters initiate trend #30OctPTIDay on Twitter.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Exactly a year after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took out a large rally in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stronghold of Lahore, the party’s supporters initiated the #30OctPTIDay trend in remembrance of the day, which most of them termed on Twitter as “historic”.

The rally, which roped in around 45,000 PTI supporters, caused a stir in the political scene and all rallies which followed later started concentrating on attracting large number of participants.

Here is what some people had to say:

Asad Umar ‏@Asad_Umar

#30OctPTIday i sent a text to IK on 28th saying lahore is looking good &amp; if u can pull off a good show on the 30th it will be a game changer

Sahr ‏@Sahr_M

#30OctPTIDay when patriotism was at its peak ! :)

Abdul Aziz ‏@ItsTheAzizz

Those in Raiwind and Islamabad should know that it is not a flood that is coming, but a tsunami - Imran Khan #30OctPTIDay

Arsalan Ghumman ‏@ArsalanGhumman

REMEMBER REMEMBER THE 30TH OF OCTOBER Whn the ppl hd awaken, Agnst the corrupt regime, Pillars hd bn shaken, Shd never b forgot #30OctPTIday

Aamir Nawaz Khan ‏@aamir_khan82

#30OctPTIDay When i was being abused by #PTITrolls due to my criticism on IK :)

Mohammed ‏@mohammednaik

#30OctPTIDay The Day,when i parked my car near Lahore museum n walked my way to Minar-e-Pakistan. It felt like its another 23rd March 1940.

Imran Khan Fan Club ‏@ikfanclub

1 year &amp; one day before, IK opened up eyes of this depressed nation and gave them a Hope to Live. #30OctPTIDay

Shiraz Sherwani ‏@ShirazSherwani

One year ago today, Pakistanis started believing they had a chance at change.#30OctPTIDay

Farhan Abid (Cuban) ‏@FarhanAbed

#30OctPTIDay words that still resonate after a year "Tabdeeli aa nahi rahi' tabdeeli aa gayi hai"

Shehryar A. Siddiqui ‏@hadeedian99

I remember keeping my NIC because I thought if god forbid there was a blast they will recognize me through my ID Card #30OctPTIday

Godfather IV ‏@godfatheriv

#30OctPTIDay Halloween Too!

Mohsin ‏@mohsinmasud

#30OctPTIDay The day when we saw 'Burger bachas' went to the Political Jalsa #Pakistan

Saleem Mansha ‏@drsaleem007

#30OctPTIDay is the day when Youth was politicized by Imran Khan and #PTI

Khawar Ali Sher ‏@khawarsher

give credit where it is due .. #30OctPTIDay as top trend, shows the sheer numbers of PTI trolls out there !

Muhammad Huzaifa ‏@MHuzaifaArif

#30OctPTIday The priceless smile on Imran Khan's face when he stepped on stage and saw the massive charged crowd! #IK

Zoaib ‏@thisiszoaib

#30OctPTIDay "The rally is over but its hangover hovers in the air. Soon it too will dissipate."

Saba Mahmood ‏@Saba_md

#30OctPTIDay the day ppl finally started paying attention to IK !]]>
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			<title>Rural Pakistan will overwhelmingly support PTI: Imran</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/325695/rural-pakistan-will-overwhelmingly-support-pti-imran</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/325695/rural-pakistan-will-overwhelmingly-support-pti-imran#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 12 05:32:38 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[our.correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=325695</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Imran’s speech focuses on criticising the PPP and PML-N for failing to deliver for rural masses.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan appears determined to respond to every criticism of his ‘tsunami’.

“They say that PTI is a party popular only in urban Pakistan. But tell me what you see; has there ever been this big a rally in Bhalwal?” he asked thousands of his supporters who had gathered in Sargodha’s small town on Sunday.

The answer from the crowds was a loud and emphatic ‘no’.

“Do the rural people not want justice? They do. Injustice in Pakistan’s rural areas is worse than that is urban areas,” he said.  “This PTI tsunami will be even more successful in rural areas because it is the harbinger of change - of the country’s transformation.”

Seeking to explain as to why people in rural areas need more justice, Imran asserted that because of a nexus of feudal-industrial interests, a poor farmer who produces sugarcane is paid 30 per cent less than he deserves for his labour and production.

“Why does Indian Punjab create double the produce of the Pakistani Punjab? It is because the Indian government subsidises them by providing seeds, fertiliser and free electricity.”

This was what PTI intends to do in Pakistan, according to Imran.

“We can earn an additional Rs300billion through agriculture. PTI will make this revenue available for farmers and our preference in allotting these funds will be the weak.”

No holds barred

The greater part of Imran’s speech was focused on criticising the two parties that have hogged civilian rule in Pakistan – the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and its rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

“The reason these parties cannot bring about any meaningful change is because they are part of the problem, not the solution,” Imran said. “Their time is up and the days of their rule are gone.”

Picking on PML-N, who Imran has categorically refused to ally with, he said Punjab is their responsibility where they are governing for the fifth time.

“Is Punjab doing any better than the rest of the provinces? No, it isn’t. Look at your tenure from 25 years ago and compare it with the current situation. You have destroyed Punjab.”

Turning his guns to the prime minister who has criticised PTI for not having an agenda, Imran was not the least forgiving.

“First of all, prime minister, I would like to tell you that even if we don’t have an agenda right now, it will be better than yours. Even if we fail to deliver on our promises, we will end up doing a better job than you,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23rd,  2012.]]>
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			<title>The Pied Piper in Karachi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312291/the-pied-piper-in-karachi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312291/the-pied-piper-in-karachi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 11 17:03:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Atika.rehman]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=312291</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[It seems that Imran Khan is falling victim to the very change he is fighting for: the love of the kursi.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Imran Khan’s first public show in Karachi was in May, when the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) gathered at the Native Jetty bridge in Karachi to protest drone strikes. When I spoke to PTI supporters in the crowd of about 8,000-10,000 people that had gathered then, the popular sentiment was anger against America. Naysayers were quick to dismiss the event as a failure and upheld the view that Karachi would always be the MQM’s turf. But his rally on December 25 at Jinnah’s mausoleum silenced even his most vocal critics.

In a city like Karachi, where violence underscores the mix of ethnicities, Imran rallied for peace and unity quite successfully on December 25. Besides the fact that the crowd was massive — reportedly about 200,000 supporters — what was heart-warming was the sense of unity and brotherhood: Pakistanis from all walks of life represented — no hateful banners and no angry sloganeering. It was uplifting to see ‘mummy daddy’ supporters stand side-by-side with the awam, bridging the otherwise obvious divide between the rich and the not-so-rich. No one talked about drone attacks or civilian casualties. The mood was light, almost festive and people seemed to be having a really good time with all the music and the sprinkle of celebrities. For some, it was their first ever experience of a public rally. Why? Why did these Pakistanis, whose political activism is usually dormant, decide to be a part of Imran’s fleet?

The answers I got were varied and some very amusing: Imran is a hero; the PTI will change conventional politics in Pakistan; if not Imran then who; and (my personal favourite), I will vote for the MQM but I was curious to see what these PTI rallies are all about. No matter what the reason, like the Pied Piper, Imran called out to Karachi and Karachi, like Lahore, followed in hordes. So what does this mean for PTI rivals?

The PML-N must have watched with apprehension as former PML-N stalwart, Javed Hashmi, wowed Karachi with his charged speech and chants of “Baaghi! Baaghi” that left him crimson with emotion. Not only has the PTI proven to be a formidable force in Punjab, after Sunday’s showdown it has changed the landscape of politics in Sindh. Shahbaz Sharif’s swift statement that he will expose the “traitors cum politicians” who are switching from one party to another on the instructions of the establishment, is proof that all is not good in Raiwind. In this regard, the MQM’s decision to support the PTI rally in their city was a far cleverer move than opposing it. The MQM congratulated Imran for holding a “successful rally” in the metropolis and it’s no surprise that they did, since all speakers at the rally refrained from criticising them in any way. Could it be that the PTI is hoping to form some sort of alliance with the MQM come election results? Will past grievances and the fact that Imran was once banned from entering the city by the MQM be let go? I suppose all can be forgiven and forgotten when you are a relatively young party hoping to strengthen your ranks.

Critics who say that Imran’s approach of opening his arms to defectors contradicts his message of ‘change’, should know that it is his only option if he wants some sort of success in the coming election. Imran may be the PTI’s poster boy, but with additions like Qureshi and Hashmi who are seasoned politicians with a large following, he is being taken more seriously. But just like the Pied Piper has a dark side, I fear that Imran may be offering delusive enticements. In all his earnestness to come into power, it seems that he is falling victim to the very change he is fighting for: the love of the kursi.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Commanding mass appeal</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312276/commanding-mass-appeal</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312276/commanding-mass-appeal#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 11 16:30:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=312276</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The Christmas Day jalsa in Karachi was the PTI's coronation.]]>
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				<![CDATA[If Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) coming-out party was the rally in Lahore, the Christmas Day jalsa in Karachi was the coronation. In a city where few parties other than the MQM have been able to command mass appeal, Imran and his ever-burgeoning cast of characters seemed to have out done them all. Whatever reservations one has about the PTI’s agenda, one has to admire the verve of its supporters and the inclusiveness of its rhetoric. Speaker after speaker, including veteran politicians like Javed Hashmi and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, celebrated the virtues of diversity and pointed out that the crowd was made up of every possible ethnicity. Imran’s speech, in contrast to some of the more lacklustre ones he tends to deliver, struck all the right notes. His apology to the people of Balochistan was particularly heartfelt and, although other national politicians have made similar apologies before, it shows that at least the PTI feels the need to give priority to this issue. A speech at a massive rally is not the time for laying out a technocratic agenda but Imran’s promise that new inductee Jehangir Tareen would be producing policy papers on all issues at the rate of two per month is reassuring. We all know that the PTI as a party stands for change; now it is time to find out what that change will mean.

Successful though the rally may have been, there were some disturbing moments as well. Imran kept his anti-US rhetoric to a minimum but the speakers that preceded him did not show similar restraint. Javed Hashmi remarked on the preponderance of Aafia Siddiqui banners and proceeded to paint her as a martyr and demand her release. Hashmi may consider Aafia a daughter of Pakistan but had no words for Aasia Bibi — another Pakistani who is incarcerated, but this time in our own country. Azam Swati, meanwhile, launched a diatribe against Hussain Haqqani, a man who is no longer even in office, for his alleged role in memogate. As an opposition party, such irresponsible rhetoric can be crowd-pleasing but it will have to be tempered if the PTI comes into power. These complaints aside, one cannot be too churlish about the Imran Khan phenomenon. For the first time since Zufikar Ali Bhutto launched the PPP, a political leader is on a crusade to win over the entire country and not just one province. That vision and desire is to be celebrated.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Tribune Take: PTI reaching all demographics</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312255/tribune-take-pti-reaching-all-demographics</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312255/tribune-take-pti-reaching-all-demographics#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 11 15:56:21 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[mahawish.rezvi]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[PTI's Karachi rally was diverse both along ethinic and economic lines.]]>
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				<![CDATA[In today’s episode of the Tribune Take we look at the people who showed up to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) rally in Karachi.

Shaheryar Mirza, reporter for The Express Tribune, says unlike other political party rallies, he witnessed people from all walks of life come together, when a crowd of an estimated 200,000 people gathered near Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi in support of Imran Khan.

According to Mirza many in the crowd were new to actively partaking in political rallies, saying they finally wanted to take their politics out of their drawing rooms.

Compared to other political rallies held in Karachi, Mirza comments PTI's rally was diverse both along ethnic and economic lines.

Read Shaheryar Mirza's articles here.

Follow Shaheryar Mirza on Twitter.

The Tribune Take daily news web show will appear on the tribune.com.pk home page.
The Take will feature in-depth interviews and analysis with editors and reporters who are covering the major stories, exploring front page events and major ledes. The news analysis covers the way The Express Tribune examines a story, how we cover it and why.]]>
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			<title>PTI rally: Soomro questions Imran Khan's financial sources</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312243/pti-rally-soomro-questions-imran-khans-financial-sources</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312243/pti-rally-soomro-questions-imran-khans-financial-sources#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 11 11:35:31 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[express]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Soomro says it is easy to hold rallies but difficult to get votes.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Sindh Law Minister Ayaz Soomro on Monday questioned where Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was getting finances for holding party rallies and for campaigning.

Addressing a press conference in Larkana, Soomro said that the fact that Shaukat Khanam Memorial Hospital was running with charities was understandable, but he said that he had suspicions about Khan’s financial sources.

Soomro said that it was easy to hold rallies but difficult to get votes.

He announced that President Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani will address a rally in Garhi Khuda Baksh on account of Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary.

Answering a question about PPP’s estranged member Sardar Assef Ali, he said that he felt bad when Ali left the party because the PPP had given him respect and had made him federal education and foreign minister.]]>
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			<title>Altaf Hussain congratulates PTI for Karachi rally</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312196/altaf-hussain-congratulates-pti-for-karachi-rally</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312196/altaf-hussain-congratulates-pti-for-karachi-rally#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 11 06:07:44 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[express]]>
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				<![CDATA[Hussain also says Khan should have presented his party’s manifesto rather than indulging in “politics of blame”.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief (MQM) Altaf Hussain congratulated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s leader Imran Khan and his party members on carrying out a successful rally in Karachi, Express News reported on Monday.

In a notification released by MQM, Hussain said in a statement that it would have been better had Khan presented his party’s manifesto in the rally rather than indulging himself in “politics of blame” and alleging that other parties are corrupt.

Hussain said that such a move was required in order to channelise positivity in the current political situation.

Khan held a rally in Karachi earlier on Sunday at the Quaid’s Mausoleum.

There was no official figure available as of the time of filing this report. PTI Sindh claimed that up to 450,000 people had attended, “given that the ground had a capacity of 250,000 and that the surrounding roads and the Mazar-e-Quaid ground itself was packed.” A police officer deputed at the rally said his personal estimate was 300,000 including the people on the roads and in the mausoleum.]]>
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			<title>Qureshi casts doubt on safety of nuclear assets</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312130/qureshi-casts-doubt-on-safety-of-nuclear-assets</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312130/qureshi-casts-doubt-on-safety-of-nuclear-assets#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 11 04:31:02 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[express]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=312130</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PTI vice-chairman says a nuclear deal between the US and India severely undermines Pakistan.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the high-profile recruit to the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, chose a curious issue to emphasise during his speech at the party’s Karachi rally on Sunday: nuclear assets, both at home and abroad.

The former foreign minister cast doubt that Pakistan nuclear assets were 100% safe. He told the massive crowd: “Pakistan’s nuclear programme is under a five-layered security system and is of international standards. But then you wonder what the threat is about? There is no physical threat but there is a threat from certain people.”

Qureshi also seemed to be appealing to nationalists, saying that a nuclear deal between the US and India severely undermines Pakistan.

He claimed that he had developed differences with the president over his decisions to not criticise the India-US civil nuclear partnership. Qureshi says that when he was the foreign minister, he expressed opinions against the US-India civil nuclear deal. However, according to him, President Zardari sent out a message that Pakistan will not go against any such nuclear deal.

Qureshi added that if Pakistan ever signs a ‘no first strike’ agreement with India, its nuclear assets will be wasted and worthless.

Clarifying PTI’s stand on India, Qureshi said that his party wanted friendship with everyone, including the US and India.  However, it would not tolerate slave-master relations. “We want friendship and not slavery,” he said.

“If you want to see this country as an independent country, then vote for a leadership that has the guts to take bold stand on all such decisions,” Qureshi added.

“Pakistan is under threat because of our own weaknesses. No one from outside will come to help us, we have to mend things ourselves,” was the PTI vice-chairman’s conclusion.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>PTI rally: Imran lights up Karachi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312138/pti-rally-imran-lights-up-karachi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/312138/pti-rally-imran-lights-up-karachi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 26 Dec 11 01:03:05 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[saba.imtiaz]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Around 200,000 people from all backgrounds attend; Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali is latest high-profile recruit.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan looked entirely assured at his party’s rally in Karachi. With a slew of big-name politicians under his belt and attendance by hundreds of thousands of people from Karachi and other districts in Sindh and Punjab, Imran addressed the crowd with his usual mix of rhetoric, emotions and a few well-placed jibes, all set to a catchy soundtrack.


Imran said he wanted to “present his programme to the people”, which comprises reforms in the legal system, police, land records, taxation, civil service, National Accountability Bureau and education so that Pakistan can become “the Islamic welfare state it was envisioned to be.” PTI plans to organise seminars to introduce its policies, being developed by a team headed by former MNA Jahangir Tareen.

Imran also apologised to the people of Balochistan and said the province had been “treated like a colony”. He says PTI’s next rally will be in Quetta on March 23, but made no mention of who was responsible or would be held accountable for the human rights violations in the province.

Imran also announced that Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali was joining PTI, the newest high-profile recruit after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Javed Hashmi joined the party on Saturday. He said his team would not be “one based on referrals”, so there was “no point in flattering Imran Khan”.

As the lights shone at Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum opposite the venue, Imran said that like Quaid-e-Azam, no one would be able to allege that he had misappropriated funds.

While a slew of PTI leaders spoke at the event, it was Hashmi and new recruit, musician Abrarul Haq, and to a lesser extent, Azam Swati, who drew the longest applause and appreciation. Hashmi’s emotional speech, drawing on his decades of experience in politics and the time he spent in jail, hit a strong note. “People began looting the country. People were divided into different classes. There was a Pakistan for the rich and the poor. The poor have no personal security while the rich roam around with 1,000 police officers.” He invoked Quaid-e-Azam’s spirit and said, “We are ashamed. We will need to work for the future.”

He said he was bestowing his political capital on the young PTI supporters, recalling that he started his career at a young age, and said “We are with you”.

The crowd chanted ‘Brave man, Hashmi’ (Bahadur aadmi, Hashmi), and there was a roar of applause for the former PML-N stalwart when he said he had argued for decades in the assemblies that politicians needed to stop stealing from the poor and stockpiling their assets, and also when he noted placards by the ‘Aafia Movement’ and spoke about Aafia Siddiqui.

Attendees at the event – who belonged to every ethnic, social and age group – had never attended a political party event before. Many told The Express Tribune that they were inspired by Imran’s message of change and hope, as well as his publicly stated resolve to rid Pakistan of corruption.

PTI leaders drew from that message. Azam Swati criticised the current government over the Memogate crisis, terming former and current ambassadors Wajid Shamsul Hasan and Husain Haqqani as people who “licked the president’s shoes” and called Salmaan Farooqui a criminal.

Musician Haq’s stirring recital of a poem and his talk of the hopelessness young people face in Pakistan which inspired him to join PTI and the need for a revolution were well-received. While Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the huge turnout in Karachi will have “disturbed the slumber” of many politicians, the PTI will probably have slept soundly after the success of its event on Sunday.


Number Crunching


There was no official figure available as of the time of filing this report. PTI Sindh claimed that up to 450,000 people had attended, “given that the ground had a capacity of 250,000 and that the surrounding roads and the Mazar-e-Quaid ground itself was packed.” A police officer deputed at the rally said his personal estimate was 300,000 including the people on the roads and in the mausoleum.

(Read: Imran's dream team wows Karachi)

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Imran rocks Karachi: They came, they saw, he conquered</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311972/imran-rocks-karachi-they-came-they-saw-he-conquered</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311972/imran-rocks-karachi-they-came-they-saw-he-conquered#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 25 Dec 11 22:21:56 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[shaheryar.mirza]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Imran Khan wins hearts and minds at Karachi rally.]]>
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				<![CDATA[When people poured into the rally early on Sunday, sections of the ground seemed to arrange themselves into little microcosms of the greater class system prevalent in the country. But as the numbers grew, the lines blurred.


What most people in the family enclosure had in common was that they had never attended a political rally before.

Some of them were overseas Pakistanis. Naqi Sharif, who is from South Africa and follows Imran Khan on Facebook, said, “We want to come out of the drawing rooms and onto the streets.” Karachi resident Anila Weldon, who runs a support group for mothers, said, “The passion itself has brought me here. I have no expectations.”

For many of these first timers Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf represents what they have been missing out on for years - someone to awaken them.

Majid Mehmood, an engineer, came from Saudi Arabia to Karachi to see his aging mother.  And to attend Imran Khan’s rally.  In the dusty ground, where the PTI rally was held, he along with his six- year-old son chanted slogans for Khan.

“I want to come back to Pakistan and work here, close to my family,” he said in a mix of English and Urdu. “I don’t know why but Imran Khan gives me hope. I want change, security and a better future for my children.”

Taliban Khan

Many came with hope.  “My friends think I’m crazy but I’ve come from Riyadh just for this rally,” said Safwat Khalid draped in a PTI flag. “Imran Khan is not a career politician. He will run the country like a company.”

Listening in on the conversation,  his friend Fouzan from Karachi chipped in “before Imran Khan, we never voted because we felt nobody deserved it.”

Common criticism against Imran Khan is that he is a ‘Taliban apologist’ and some nicknamed him ‘Taliban Khan’. But Canada-returned Uzair Dadabhoy disagreed. “I am not anti-USA but there is no military solution to the war in Afghanistan or in Pakistan and Imran Khan understands that.”

Along with the young hip crowd, there were many who had been supporters of religious parties. “I am a prayer leader at a masjid,” said a man, in his late forties as he held a party banner. “I just like this man.”

There were girls in t-shirts and burkas, boys sporting Khan tattoos and others in traditional attire.

Even Chacha Cricket showed up at the rally, wearing his trademark green long shirt and holding a Pakistani flag. “Imran won us the world cup,” he said. “He built a cancer hospital for poor people. I am sure he can save the country.”

It’s all business  

Jawwad Awan, a graphic designer, was selling white t-shirts with “Kara-Che” printed over a picture of Imran Khan. “Khan and Che are both revolutionaries. One used weapons and the other is using the ballot,” he said. He said he was selling the shirts for Rs300 a piece, earning just Rs50 in profit.

Besides samosas and pastries, which were being sold by about a dozen men, Niswar and Baloch Gutka was also on offer. Nawab Khan had a small stall set up right near the entrance. “Niswar is selling well,” he said, laughing. “But there are a lot of customers for John Johnny and Raza Mawa,” he said, referring to concoction of betel nut and tobacco.

Tens of thousands of people flooded the ground as well as adjoining roads, the wall of the Quaideen flyover and rooftops of nearby buildings.

Mudassir Ahmed, 25, came with his friends. “I am an Urdu-speaking and I really don’t care if Khan is a Pashtun,” he said. “He speaks against corruption and that is the language I want to hear.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Imran's dream team wows Karachi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311748/pakistan-tehreek-i-insaf-rally-in-karachi-live-updates</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311748/pakistan-tehreek-i-insaf-rally-in-karachi-live-updates#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 25 Dec 11 14:20:11 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[saba.imtiaz]]>
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			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=311748</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PTI Chairman announces former foreign minister Sardar Asif Ali will join PTI.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Addressing a mammoth crowd at the Quaid’s Mausoleum, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf Chief Imran Khan signaled that his party’s tsunami was reaching new heights, on its way to fulfilling his dream of forming the government.

“When I saw Tsunami in Lahore, I thought to myself it will be very difficult to top this. But today, I congratulate the people of Karachi, because they beat the [October 30] rally,” Imran said. He chanted the names of all of Pakistan’s major ethnicities as people from those groups responded. Mentioning religious minorities, he wished a merry Christmas to the Christians of Pakistan.

The PTI Chairman said a special welcome to a man he introduced as Zulfiqar Ali who had come all the way from Dera Ghazi Khan to attend the rally. “He financed his trip by selling his mobile phone!”

“I welcome Javed Hashmi to PTI. The one thing I truly admire about him is his bravery. I welcome Shah Mahmood Qureshi again,” he said. He then made the announcement that former foreign minister Sardar Asif Ali has said that he will be joining the PTI.

“The Quaid wanted Pakistan to be an Islamic welfare state, and I will make it into one,” Khan said. He said that it was at the age of 18 when he first went to Britain and understood what a welfare state is.

“I was surprised to see that every person, rich or poor, was given a free education that would enable him or her to even become the prime minister of Britain,” he said. “This is my dream: A Pakistan where every human being is valued.”

“The first thing we want to create is a just legal system in the country. We want courts that do not discriminate. We will take justice to the grassroots, to the rural areas and include everyone in the system,” Imran said. “We will provide everyone justice for free.”

“This is my promise to you: I will bring forth for you a team the likes of which this country has never seen,” Imran said. “What will this team do? Under Jahangir Tarin, this team will present policy papers on every issue twice a month. We will present policies on agriculture, transport, local government, and foreign affairs. We will present to you how Pakistan will become an independent nation.”

And most importantly, PTI will present a tax plan that will ensure that this country never has to beg for money from anybody, he said. “We will create a police force independent of political influence, based purely on merit. When I am in government, one day they will even stop Imran Khan’s own car for over speeding.”

Announcing his support for Balochistan, he said that the next stop of his ‘tsunami’ will be Quetta on March 23, 2012. “My Balochi brothers, I ask you for forgiveness on behalf of Pakistanis. We have been unjust to you. We did to you what we did to East Pakistanis. We have kept you as a colony.”

When PTI is in power, we will use the model of West and East Germany, he said. “West Germany gave East Germany special status and diverted all development to thast area. We will develop Balochistan. We will come to you, embrace you, ask for your forgiveness, and address all your grievances,” he said.

The PTI Chairman did not raise criticism against the MQM in his speech.

End of live updates

8:48pm

PTI Chief Imran Khan addresses the rally.

“When I saw Tsunami in Lahore, I thought to myself it will be very difficult to top this. But today, I congratulate the people of Karachi, because they beat the [October 30] rally,” Imran says. He chanted the names of all of Pakistan’s major ethnicities as people from those groups responded. Mentioning religious minorities, he wished a merry Christmas to the Christians of Pakistan.

He said a special welcome to a man he introduced as Zulfiqar Ali who had come all the way from Dera Ghazi Khan to attend the rally. “He financed his trip by selling his mobile phone!”

“I welcome Javed Hashmi to PTI. The one thing I truly admire about him is his bravery. I welcome Shah Mahmood Qureshi again,” he said.

He then made the announcement that former foreign minister Sardar Asif Ali has said that he will be joining the PTI.

08:00pm

Qureshi says that when he was the foreign minister of Pakistan, he expressed opinions against the US-India civil nuclear deal. However, he says President Zardari sent out a message that Pakistan will not go against any such nuclear deal.

Qureshi says that a nuclear deal between US and India severely undermines Pakistan.

If Pakistan ever signs "no first strike" agreement with India, its nuclear assets will be wasted and worthless, Qureshi says.

He "accuses" President Zardari of ruining the deterrent value of Pakistan’s nuclear program by saying 'no first strike' on India.

The PTI vice chairman assures the people that Pakistan’s nuclear assets are physically safe but are threatened by such “evil” decisions and such people.

Clarifying PTI’s stand on India, Qureshi says that his party wants friendship with everyone, with the US and India. But it would not tolerate slave-master relations.

“We want friendship and not slavery,” says Qureshi.

“If you want to see this country as an independent country, then vote for a leadership that has the guts to take bold stand on all such decisions,” Qureshi says.

7:44pm

Shah Mahmood Qureshi addresses the jalsa.

“Today, PIA, Wapda and all other institutions of the country are failing continuously but all these things can improve if the people of Pakistan decide to vote for a leadership that can bring about that change,” Qureshi says.

He said that all these failures are a result of incompetence and corruption. There are five things that everyone has agreed upon: “Firstly, democracy. Everyone wants democracy and no one is conspiring against the government. Prime Minister Gilani, it is your corruption that is a conspiracy against your own government. Secondly, justice. If you want justice in the country, vote for the PTI. The party will ensure that justice prevails. Thirdly, an independent judiciary. The present set-up has buried the concept of necessity. Fourth, free media which will promote accountability and democratic values. And lastly, Pakistan’s nuclear programme. Ensuring its security is something everyone agrees on. Would you let anyone trade our nuclear capability?” Qureshi said.
He said that as a former foreign minister of Pakistan, he knows that this programme protects Pakistan from outside threat. “Pakistan’s nuclear programme is under a five-layered security system and is of international standards. But then you wonder what the threat is about? There is no physical threat but there is a threat from certain people.”

People scream Zardari’s name. “Everyone said my comments [about Zardari] were irresponsible but I still stand by my comments,” Qureshi says.

7:26pm

"Go Zardari Go" trends worldwide on Twitter.

Chants of “Go Zardari Go” as Shah Mahmood Qureshi takes the stage.

“Now that Karachi has woken up, it is as if Pakistan has awaken from its slumber. I congratulate the people of Karachi for attending this historic gathering. Our mission was to heal the bruises of Karachi and unite Karachiites and today’s rally has done that,” he said.

Quaid, you provided us with a country that we have failed to protect, but today we have gathered to protect this country, Qureshi said. “Everyone can see that things are changing. I can see people smiling. I can see their eyes shining.”

“Pakistan is under threat because of our own weaknesses. No one from outside will come to help us, we have to mend things ourselves,” he said.

7:19pm

Javed Hashmi addresses the rally, amid shouts of "Ek Bahadur Aadmi, Hashmi, Hashmi".

“We have gathered here for peace. This gathering, made up of the young generation of Pakistan, is the harbinger of a revolution,” the former PML-N stalwart said. “Today is the birthday of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. When he made this country, he wanted to ensure justice for Muslims of the subcontinent. Justice was his slogan and movement for justice is Imran’s slogan. This is why we have come forward to provide justice. It is the youth of this country who will achieve that.”

Talking about his former party, Hashmi said that PML-N workers also want Pakistan to prosper and progress. “I love those workers and my former party but I love the people of Pakistan more than that and that is why I have come here.”

Hashmi, who joined the PTI earlier this week, said that when he was considering joining the PTI, he was humbled by Imran Khan’s invitation. “For the first time, a leader said to me that I have never gone to ask anyone to join the party but I have come to you and not for myself but for Pakistan. How could I say no to that?”

For years, I was alone in demanding that leaders declare their assets. Now this is Imran’s voice and I would like to him that I will not back off [from my support of him], he said.

Addressing the people, he said, “Now, I hand you my 40 years of hard work. No one can raise questions over financial, social and political matters throughout my career or doubt my dedication to this country.”

7:05pm

Light grid on the right side of the stage (if your back is towards it) just fell forward. A group of people is standing there.

Twitter update:

Anthony Permal 
If they can mention Afia Siddiqui, I DARE Imran Khan &amp; Hashmi to mention Asia Bibi. #PTIJalsa #PTI #Pakistan
Rabia Mehmood 
This tall guy in black shalwarkamiz &amp; camel col jacket,rt of Hashmi seat was w/ Moonisilahi the day he ws released in #NICL scam.#ptijalsa
&nbsp;

6:28pm

"Dil Dil Pakistan" also trending worldwide on Twitter.

PTI leader Hamid Khan addresses the rally.

ANP leader Bushra Gohar tweets about the PTI Jalsa.

Bushra Gohar
Has our electronic media formally joined PTI or have they received instructions? Seem overly enthusiastic Wonder why?
6:22pm
Fauzia Kasuri, the women’s wing president of PTI, addresses the rally. Vital Signs’ classic “Dil Dil Pakistan” plays.  PTI leader Arif Alvi also addresses the rally. Crowd persistently shouts “Go Zardari Go”.

6:08pm
Abrar and Haq also trending worldwide on Twitter.  Earlier, the rally was addressed by PTI leaders Naeemul Haq and Asfand Qaiser. "Main Toh Dekhoonga" by Strings starts playing, as Haq ends speech with Pakistan Zindabad and Imran Khan Zindabad slogans.

5:50pm

Abrarul Haq makes passionate speech and recites poetry. Says PTI will win a two-thirds majority in the next general election. The government that PTI will form will be that of the common man, of the youth, not that of the VIPs, he says. The situation has changed after October 30. Under Imran Khan's leadership, a revolution is just waiting to happen, he says.

5:40pm
Azam Swati, Javed Hashmi and Imran Khan trending worldwide on Twitter.

5:32pm

Javed Hashmi arrives at the podium. Imran Khan embraces Hashmi amidst slogans of “Ek Bahadur Aadmi, Javed Hashmi, Javed Hashmi”. Earlier, Azam Khan Swati addressed the rally. Explained his reasons for wanting Zardari on the Exit Control List and the Memogate scandal. Khursheed Mehmud Kasuri also makes brief speech.

5:12pm

Salman Ahmed plays the Pakistan National Anthem. Sings "Meri Awaz Suno" and "Jazba Junoon". Earlier, musician Abrarul Haq recited a naat, which was then followed by speeches by PTI leaders Samson Sharaf, Aslam Rajput and Dr Hasan Raza.

 4:57pm
Express News reports that Javed Hashmi is also in attendance. Junoon's Salman Ahmed is also on stage. A large group of people has gathered outside as entrances are too narrow.
Attendees carry posters of the Aafia Movement with pictures of Pakistani neuroscientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui and Imran Khan on them.

4:40 pm

Imran Khan has arrived at the podium amid tight security. Takes a seat next to Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Express News is reporting at least a hundred thousand people are in attendance.

PTI workers release doves in PTI colours. Jehangir Tareen and Khurshid Kasuri have also arrived.

4:15 pm

Express News reports that Imran Khan has departed from his friend’s residence in Karsaz and will arrive at the venue shortly. Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other senior PTI leaders are accompanying him.

PTI's Arshad Qureshi said that the jalsa's success had shown that the "politics of language" has ended in Karachi.

4:00 pm

In his speech, PTI's Waleed Iqbal said that "tsunami can create electricity, extract reserves, can start up shut down railway engines and make grounded PIA planes fly."

Here's what's new on Twitter:
Zak__

A sea of crowd here,even by evening Quid e Azam would announce joining PTI, #Jalsa

aliktareen

En Route to the Jalsa. The roads of Khi are flooded with coasters full of young people adorned in PTI flags #PTIJalsa

Faiza_PK

Dear #PTI, please enjoy your jalsa, have fun, bring Tsunami or whatever it is that you're bringing... BUT plz don't use foul language! Thx

KHAN2705

Well so my one eye is on the Star World India's Christmas episodes run and other one on PTI Jalsa :)
3:30 pm

Musician Abrarul Haq recited a naat, which was then followed by speeches by PTI leaders Samson Sharaf, Aslam Rajput and Dr Hasan Raza, reports Saba Imtiaz. Former JUI (F) leader Azam Swati is at the event as are members of PTI's provincial leadership and Central Executive Committee.

3:15 pm

Journalists estimate that the crowd is in thousands. Saba Imtiaz reports that a huge cheer went up in the crowd when it was announced that there were traffic jams on Shahrah-e-Faisal and Shahrah-e-Quaideen because of the incoming flow of PTI supporters to the event. Musicians Abrarul Haq and Salman Ahmed are being touted as on the bill for performances at the event.

3:00 pm

Express News reports that people are approaching the venue in large numbers. People are queing up outside the entrance, waiting to clear security checks put in place by PTI volunteers.

Musician Abrarul Haq has reportedly reached the jalsa venue. Haq hasn’t been the only musician who has been associated with PTI. On August 11, the Islamabad-based band Alag came out with a patriotic number called “Jaago Pakistan”, which was dedicated to PTI. Amongst other musicians, the band Soch, Alterego and pop singer Shahzaman Alam have also expressed their support. A plethora of Imran Khan’s own friends such as Ali Azmat, Strings and others who had worked with him during charity tours to raise funds for Shaukat Khanum Cancer Memorial Hospital have been consistent supporters of his public rallies.

Here's the Twitter buzz:
marvi_memon

Pti jalsa shld b v huge today....jalsa attendees wil b expecting a lot from pti leadership on stage.faces on stage wil b ur answer.

samishah

Imran Khan promises jalsa will turn into worlds largest key party. Bring your hats and spouses.

AamnaTaseer

My friends have hired a truck and are attending the PTI jalsa today. Stay safe. So many jokes going round regarding CHAIRS.

shyyawn

:O people seemed excited about the PTI jalsa for weeks and they are going. And they are those who never were interested in politics before.

SikanderFayyaz

Over hundred thousand already at #PTIjalsa. This is big, no this will be huge, bigger than any jalsa anyone has held before. Power of Hope!
2:45 pm

Saba Imtiaz reports that an announcement has been made on the stage to allow more people into the ground, and a sea of people carrying PTI flags then entered the venue.

President of the Insaf Students Federation (ISF) in Karachi, Arsalan Ghumman tells The Express Tribune via SMS:

"Protect the jalsa venue... ISF tsunami heading to it."

2:30 pm

Saba Imtiaz reports that PTI supporters at the jalsa say they are there because "Imran Khan can bring change in the country".

Allahdino, who travelled from Larkana with his cousin, told The Express Tribune, that "if the leadership is good, the other politicians will work under him (Khan) and improve". He said he would expect Khan to improve the quality of education in Sindh.

Khawar and Wazir, in their early 20s, are originally from Gilgit and study in Karachi. Their priorities for Khan are "improving the law and order situation in Karachi and giving Gilgit Baltistan the status of a province"

The boys also took pictures of each other posing with PTI flags to upload on Facebook, they said.

Khushal Ahmed Butt, who has lived in Karachi for 15 years, came to the event with his four young children. "We've come on their demand. We support Khan and believe he can improve the conditions of the country."

Here's the Twitter update:
TheRealHaroon

I want to wish PTI a safe and successful rally today in Karachi on the birthday of the father of our nation!!

murtazasolangi

I sincerely wish PTI to have a good rally in the city of the Quaid. I hope the PTI leaders can explain their manifesto &amp; strategy!

cpyala

One fauji source claiming all lower staff of forces have been ordered to go to PTI rally. Private transport will appar be provided.

baylinveil

The fact that PTI is calling every household landline in Karachi w/ an Imran Khan recording personally inviting to the rally is brilliant.
2:15 pm

Saba Imtiaz reports that a few hundred supporters have arrived at the venue. The organisers have started playing PTI songs and those by Shehzad Roy and Strings to get the crowd going. PTI supporters are floating a large Pakistan flag in the crowd. According to an earlier estimate by PTI, 50,000 party flags will be distributed.

PTI's main leadership has not arrived at the venue as yet.

2:00 pm

Sufi Abdul Jalil, known as “Chacha (Uncle) Cricket”, is also present at the PTI rally. He is Pakistan’s most famous spectator and has become a prominent fixture at his country’s matches at home and abroad for nearly three decades.

1:45 pm

Saba Imtiaz reports that security arrangements and checks are quite thorough and are manned by the police and volunteers. There is separate seating for men and families.

According to a PTI official, there are 2,000 volunteers on duty. The ground can accommodate between 250,000 to 300,000 people. Around 50,000 to 60,000 chairs have been placed. There are separate arrangements for the press, PTI's senior leadership, Insaf Students Federation members and families.

1:30 pm

The Express Tribune correspondent Saba Imtiaz reports that there is a large crew of male and female volunteers at the site and flags are being distributed at the gate. Supporters are milling around but only a few dozen have made their way in.

Imtiaz reports that the roads leading to the jalsa site are festooned with PTI billboards and banners. There are a fair number of cars and motorcycles on the route with PTI flags.]]>
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			<title>PTI show: SHC order clears all hurdles</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311507/pti-show-shc-order-clears-all-hurdles</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311507/pti-show-shc-order-clears-all-hurdles#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 25 Dec 11 00:03:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=311507</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[New petition challenges ‘false’ statement by home dept and mazar board officials.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) finally got a legal cover for its meeting on December 25 when Sindh High Court on Saturday disposed of a fresh constitutional petition filed by it challenging the position earlier taken by Sindh home department and Quaid-e-Azam Mazar Management Board that no permission was granted to PTI for the meeting.


Lawyer Shaiq Usmani, who appeared for PTI Sindh president Naeemul Haque, before Justice Maqbool Baqar prayed for an urgent hearing of the case as meeting is scheduled on Sunday. He maintained that the ministry of national heritage and integration had given permission via email on December 17 for the public meeting at the venue requested by the PTI.

Referring to a petition filed by 10 concerned citizens, the counsel for PTI said people with dubious backgrounds moved the court and the petition was disposed of without any adverse order against the PTI or holding of the said public meeting.

The respondents Sindh home department and the Mazar management board made a false statement when they told the bench that permission had been denied to the PTI, the petitioner submitted adding that after the initial permission PTI had already started arrangements for the meeting incurring “a big deal of money.”

The bench was also informed that on December 23, when workers of PTI reached the venue, they found the gates of the venue locked and upon enquiry, board officials told them that gates were closed on the orders of Sindh chief secretary. The organizers then approached the CS who told them that they have to seek permission from the prime minister for opening of venue gates, the petition maintained. The board was again approached the same day who allowed holding of the meeting as planned with a condition that sanctity of the mausoleum would be ensured by leaders and workers of PTI.

Acceding to the request of petitioner, the SHC bench summoned the respondents. The additional home secretary and board officials assured the bench that no interference would be caused and instead security would be provided for the PTI meeting. The bench, noting the assurance and satisfaction expressed by the counsel for PTI, disposed of the petition as not pressed.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Will the PTI rally make inroads into ANP and PPP strongholds?</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311497/will-the-pti-rally-make-inroads-into-anp-and-ppp-strongholds</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311497/will-the-pti-rally-make-inroads-into-anp-and-ppp-strongholds#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 24 Dec 11 22:32:17 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[saba.imtiaz]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=311497</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Party leaders expect thousands to swarm the meeting.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is expecting hundreds of thousands to converge at the ground opposite Mazaar-e-Quaid today for their rally. Bolstered by the additions of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz  (PML-N) leader, Javed Hashmi, and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and former foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and with an extensive advertising campaign, PTI looks set to have their first major showing in the city.


Qureshi told The Express Tribune that people will be travelling from all over Sindh to attend the meeting. According to PTI’s secretary general for Sindh, Dr Hasan Raza, “People have come in from Sindh and Punjab, as well as Peshawar and Kohat. There are 200 vehicles with just the youth leaving from Lahore and 200 more vehicles full of supporters from Jacobabad. Even if you estimate 50 vehicles per district in Sindh, there will be 5,000 to 10,000 people attending the rally.”

While the former Sindh chief minister, Arbab Ghulam Rahim, PPP MNA Nabeel Gabol and recently released Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi leader, Afaq Ahmed, have been quoted as contenders for the PTI’s growing list of new members, by Friday evening there appeared to be no signs that anyone was jumping ship.

PTI chief Imran Khan denied on Saturday that he was approaching any Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) members to join the party and asked the reporters not to instigate a fight between the two. The supporters of MQM and PTI appear to be pressing both the parties to find common ground to work with each other, and it is expected that MQM supporters will be attending the December 25 event. On the other hand, scores of people belonging to Karachi’s Pakhtun community are likely to join PTI in its rally today.

PTI flags and Imran Khan’s posters covered the houses and vehicles in Pakhtun majority areas of the city, including Sohrab Goth, Keamari, Sultanabad, Manghopir, Abul Hassan Isphani Road, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Banaras. The political leaders and social figures in the Pakhtun areas were of the view that PTI would affect the vote bank of Awami National Party (ANP) and PPP as well.

PTI leaders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa leaders, who are in Karachi for the rally, are holding public meetings and persuading their followers to join PTI.

PTI Sindh leader, Suhan Ali Sahil, said that a large number of Pakhtuns who were in the ANP and PPP will join their party in the rally. “Shah Pervez, an old activist of ANP Sindh chapter, and a former member of the ANP central executive committee, will announce his joining at the rally with his group,” he said.

Besides Shah Pervez, the family of the late Roedad Khan, the former member of Pakhtun Action Committee, and political and social figures in Sohrab Goth already joined the PTI. The former activists of Pakhtun Students Federation, including, Saifur Rehman Mehsud and Hameed Ullah Barki, from Sohrab Goth too have joined PTI.

When Shah Pervez was contacted, he told The Express Tribune that they have no other option than to join PTI. “The whole nation is crying for a change. People are sick of the old faces,” said Pervez. “They want a new leadership to change their conditions. We need peace in the city and only PTI can ensure this.” Pervez was also an associate of Ajmal Khattak in NAP and had also formed Pakhtun Ittehad Party in the city. Khwaja Muhammad Khan Hoti, the former central vice president of the ANP and a former federal minister, told The Express Tribune that he was in contact with ANP and PPP men and they will join PTI after meeting with Imran Khan.

Accusing ANP of corruption, he said “The ANP has just given the name of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and nothing more to the Pakhtoons.” He said Imran Khan was the first man who raised his voice against the drone attacks which are the main cause of terrorism in the province.

Meanwhile, ANP leader Bashir Jan did not agree that PTI would affect the vote bank of his party in Karachi. “I don’t think that PTI will take on our vote bank,” he said. “ANP won two seats from Frontier Colony, Pathan Colony and Landhi and there is no influence of PTI in these areas.” The party expected to secure more seats in the upcoming elections, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Car mysteriously catches fire at PTI rally venue</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311698/car-catches-fire-mysteriously-at-pti-rally-venue</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311698/car-catches-fire-mysteriously-at-pti-rally-venue#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 24 Dec 11 22:03:50 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[The fire has been extinguished, police official dismisses incident as coincidence.]]>
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				<![CDATA[A car mysteriously caught fire in the parking lot of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) rally venue late Saturday night.

According to media reports, the CNG fitted car parked in a nearby parking lot at the Mazar-i-Quaid caught fire all of a sudden after a short circuit, engulfing the car completely. Nearby cars were moved immediately to avoid the fire from spreading and causing a major explosion.

PTI leader Imran Khan had visited the venue an hour prior  to the incident to inspect the preparations of one of the most anticipated rallies in recent months. Hundreds of PTI workers were present at the venue, preparing for the Sunday event, Express News had reported earlier in the evening.

The fire brigade arrived at the venue after a brief delay and successfully extinguished the fire.

The car’s owner was identified as a PTI worker, Geo News reported.

Meanwhile a senior police official dismissed the incident as a coincidence.

The PTI rally has been shrouded in controversy in recent days, leading up to the event date, with the security administration of the Mazar-e-Quaid closing the venue site on Thursday night. It was reopened later on Friday morning.

(Read: PTI rally update: The drama continues as Mazar-e-Quaid gates close and reopen)]]>
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			<title>IK2: Ghost protocol</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311418/ik2-ghost-protocol</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311418/ik2-ghost-protocol#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 24 Dec 11 18:54:57 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[fahd.husain]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=311418</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The mission, Mr Khan, should you choose to accept it, is to pick up the pieces and rebuild the Quaid's original dream.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Imran Khan and Tom Cruise have both arrived in Karachi on a Mission Impossible. Both are expected to draw large crowds this weekend in a bid to break political and cinematic box office records.

But while Cruise already has three successful missions under his belt, Khan is hoping for a a bumper sequel to his Lahore’s mega-smash. Today his big-budget, super-hyped, A-cast production opens up at Mazar-e-Quaid. Watch out for crazed crowds, fluttering flags and motivational music as pumped-up PTI-wallahs revel in the river of rhetoric flowing fast and furious.

Will Karachi ever be the same again? Will Khan succeed in healing the wounds of a city that bleeds? And will today’s rally mark the beginnings of a new political phenomenon in this metropolis? The message that Khan brings to Karachi is a powerful one. It may resonate among Karachiites who have seen their beloved city degenerate into fratricidal bloodletting and state-sponsored mayhem. But today’s PTI rally is not just about Karachi, it is about the possibilities of a new future that lurks in the shadows; a future only yearned for but never within grasp. This yearning is a powerful emotional force, flowing like a raging river just underneath the surface, invisible to the naked political eye, but its roar audible to those who put their ears to the ground.

The mission, Mr Khan, should you choose to accept it, is to reverse the decades of rot that has permeated the power politics of petty patronage in Pakistan. It is such politics which has reduced governance to a game played by a small clique of personalities trapped in their own web of vile vested interests, stifling social structures and perverted personal priorities. It is a game of the few, by the few, and for the few. And it has led to the Quaid’s country being reduced to a heap of dashed hopes, shattered dreams and scattered hope.

The mission, Mr Khan, should you choose to accept it, is to pick up the pieces and rebuild the original dream. A dream in which every Pakistani child goes to school regardless of his and her social and economic status; a dream in which every Pakistani citizen is equal in the eyes of the law, his dignity as human being and citizen preserved and guaranteed by the state. A dream in which justice is blind, and swift; in which the president and the peasant have the same rights and privileges and the general, the judge and the janitor all submit to the law of the land.

The mission, Mr Khan, should you choose to accept it, is to initiate a process of ruthless accountability which nets the fat cats who have gorged on the resources of the state by trampling its writ, and bending the law to their own will. The mission is to create a level playing field for every man, woman and child, and fencing this field with the rule of law. Fat cats — including those in your fold — are not used to competing on a level playing field. Can you, Mr Khan, make them bend to your will?

Easier said than done.

The mission, Mr Khan, should you choose to accept it, is to reform the state itself. The structures of this state, and its institutions, are crumbling through decades of abuse, manipulation and neglect. It is a state which has failed to deliver. Now it has perhaps even been stripped of its capacity to deliver. The reform will have to be deep, and wide, and merciless. Deadwood — regardless of rank and grade — will need to be chopped with a massive chainsaw. Rotting oaks — with roots deep in the system — will have to be felled with swift strokes, and discarded as firewood.

Easier said than done.

The mission, Mr Khan, should you choose to accept it, is to smash all those groups who speak the language of the gun. No society can flourish under the shadows of fear. Decades of demented state policy have promoted the art of war. Ballet is now subservient to the bullet. Citizens cower in fear of the state and its unchecked penchant for unleashing violence. Can you, Mr Khan, bite the bullet and outgun the gunslingers?

Easier said than done.

But with titans like Javed Hashmi on your side, you’ve got the wind at your back.

All this may be Mission Difficult, Mr Khan, but it’s not Mission Impossible.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Of cricket bats and auctions: Karachi’s aunties and uncles drink chai and show support for PTI</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311154/of-cricket-bats-and-auctions-karachi%e2%80%99s-aunties-and-uncles-drink-chai-and-show-support-for-pti</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311154/of-cricket-bats-and-auctions-karachi%e2%80%99s-aunties-and-uncles-drink-chai-and-show-support-for-pti#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 24 Dec 11 03:26:36 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[saba.imtiaz]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=311154</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The event was held at the house of businessman Faisal Vawda.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Designer bags and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf flags dangled on the arms of the women who flocked into a residence on Khayaban-e-Mujahid on Friday evening for an event organised by the PTI’s women wing.

The new party leaders, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Jahangir Tareen, as well as Shafqat Mehmood, accompanied party chief Imran Khan who was surrounded by a gaggle of women who were waiting to receive him.

While speaking to the media, he commented on the current political scenario and said that the “military should not have a role in politics”. He added that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s statement on Thursday on the presence of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan was irresponsible.

He first hinted at the rumour of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Javed Hashmi joining PTI by saying that “one party is sweating because of a huge hit they might face but we’ll tell you tomorrow.” When asked by a reporter if Hashmi was joining, Khan said, “I’m a cricketer, I’ve learnt that you shouldn’t play every ball. We’ll tell you tomorrow.”

Tareen also told The Express Tribune that he didn’t know about Hashmi joining but said that it would be a huge hit to the PML-N which would show that the “PML-N is crumbling.” Tareen said, “We welcome Javed Hashmi to PTI.” Qureshi told The Express Tribune that he didn’t know if the rumour was true but if it were, his addition would not cause issues in the Multan constituency.

Qureshi said “The PTI is cutting across all classes” and expects an “exuberant jalsa” in Karachi.

He said that there were talks ongoing with influential families in Sindh but he did not want to disclose any names himself. According to Qureshi, “The PTI is eroding every party – Pakistan Peoples Party, PML-N, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and Awami National Party, you’ll see a lot of ANP people at the rally.” He said the plan after the rally would be to “hibernate for a couple of days” and develop a structure, media team etc.

The event, held at businessman Faisal Vawda’s residence, also had businessmen such as Arif Habib in attendance along with former hockey player Islahuddin as well as a host of socialites.

Khan thanked many of his supporters by name, laughingly pointing out that there were more women taking up key party positions than men, which must worry the male leaders. He said, “Everyone in Karachi has the same problems,” which needed to be solved since there was no governance in the country. He cited the examples of the events in Cairo’s Tahrir Square and protests in the Middle East to show how change was possible.

“Houses have been revolutionised,” Khan commented. “There are men who follow one party and their wives and children support PTI.”

Qureshi said that the time for “cribbing in drawing rooms was over.” Addressing the audience, which he called the “opinion makers and leaders of society”, he said the people of Pakistan have “given you a lot” and it was time to step up and contribute since PTI wanted to save Pakistan.

Tareen told The Express Tribune that he had joined the PTI because of his “programme of change” and that he has been “chosen by the people of Pakistan as a symbol of hope.”

According to Tareen, Karachi’s business community will make up its mind to support Khan based on his policies on the economy - such as for job creation - and they needed to sit down and discuss their issues and ideas with Khan.

Tareen, who had planned to launch his own ‘Clean Party’ before he abandoned the idea to join PTI, said he had done so because, “the objectives we had of bringing real change of doing politics - not only for power politics, but its meaningful delivery - are those that PTI has espoused. So instead of creating a ‘fourth option’, it was more viable to strengthen the PTI and bring a change.”

His view was echoed by Rana Naeem, former defence minister who supports PTI, “Khan’s chances of success are very high” since an environment had been created where people were looking for a symbol of hope and change.

The event was primarily a fundraiser and a meet-and-greet. It was reportedly a Rs5,000-a-plate event. Cricket bats were auctioned off, with the opening bid for the first one at Rs300,000.

Imran Khan also spoke at the Institute of Business Administration on Friday and made an appearance at the Pakistan Blog awards. He had other private engagements during the day and will be addressing the press on Saturday afternoon.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Shifting tides: Javed Hashmi on verge of joining PTI</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311168/javed-hashmi-to-pti-announcement-tomorrow</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/311168/javed-hashmi-to-pti-announcement-tomorrow#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 11 19:22:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[abdul.manan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=311168</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PML-N frantically negotiates with Khawaja Saad Rafique.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Javed Hashmi, one of the stalwarts of Multani politics and the most visible Seraiki member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, was deciding late on Friday night whether to jump ship and join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf bandwagon, sources told The Express Tribune.

Even though he has recently been sidelined by the PML-N leadership, Hashmi’s possible departure would come as a major blow to the PML-N, which has been struggling in South Punjab and would need Hashmi’s support in the region. Hashmi’s defection would also likely cost the party 12 members of the National Assembly and at least eight members of the Punjab Assembly, claimed sources close to the PTI.

On Friday night, the PML-N leadership was frantically trying to convince Hashmi to withdraw his decision to switch sides. Sources, however, said he is unlikely to be persuaded. “Although Hashmi’s negotiation with senior leaders of PML-N is ongoing, he will inform PTI chief Imran Khan of his final decision soon,” said a source close to Imran Khan in Karachi. He added that all negotiations between the PTI and Hashmi were conducted by Imran personally.

Imran, speaking to Express News in Karachi said that “you will hear good news tomorrow.”

It is believed that Hashmi gave his party an ultimatum: if his son-in-law Zahid Bihar Hashmi was not given a party ticket, he himself would join PTI. Hashmi could now fly to Karachi on Saturday (today), meet Imran Khan and address the PTI’s rally on Sunday.

It appears that the PTI chief wants to ensure that Hashmi and other defectors from the PML-N join him at the planned rally in front of Quaid-e-Azam’s Mausoleum in Karachi on December 25.

The PML-N seems more concerned about the bloc of Hashmi loyalists in the party leaving. Sources close to the party said that when PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif learnt of Hashmi’s intentions, he started contacting Hashmi’s supporters, asking them to stay in the PML-N, even if Hashmi joins the PTI.

Among those also considering joining PTI were Khawaja Saad Rafique (MNA, Lahore), his younger brother Khawaja Salmaan Rafique (MPA, Lahore) and former MPA Jaffar Iqbal Gujjar from Rahimyar Khan.

The PML-N went all out. Sources say that a team of PML-N leaders comprising leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Tehmina Doultana, Pervez Malik and Zaeem Qadri negotiated with Hashmi at the residence of Khawaja Muhammad Saad Rafique in Lahore’s upscale DHA neighbourhood.

Apparently party president Nawaz Sharif  sent a high-powered delegation to Rafique’s residence, where after around four hours of negotiation they succeeded in dissuading Rafique from joining PTI.

Late on Friday night, Ahsan Iqbal, told media after an hour long meeting concluded at Saad Rafique’s house, that “he [Hashmi] is a big asset for the party, and that we will not allow any big news to be created.”

Hashmi is a remarkably popular figure, winning three National Assembly seats in 2008 – from Rawalpindi, Lahore and Multan. He eventually vacated two of those and kept NA-149, representing his native Multan. He could be the second Multani politician to join the PTI, the first being Shah Mehmood Qureshi, former foreign minister and Hashmi’s hometown political rival.

The news of PTI defections could extend further over the weekend. Credible sources in PTI told The Express Tribune that MQM H leader Afaq Ahmad and PPP’ MNA Nabeel Gabol are likely to join PTI on December 25.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>PTI rally update: The drama continues as Mazar-e-Quaid gates close and reopen</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310918/mazar-e-quaid-pti-rally-venue-reopened-after-brief-closure</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310918/mazar-e-quaid-pti-rally-venue-reopened-after-brief-closure#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 11 08:48:15 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[A copy of the SHC’s ruling on Dec 21 was also placed on the gate.]]>
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				<![CDATA[On a high after celebrating the arrival of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in Karachi on Thursday night, PTI workers were in for a disappointment when they arrived at the rally site on Friday morning to find it closed.

It was reopened later on in the morning. The venue was reportedly closed by the security administration of the Mazar-e-Quaid. According to a security guard, Sabir, “Our security supervisor told us to lock the gate. There were about five of us who started our shift at 7 am. The gate was closed at 8 am.” A copy of the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) ruling on December 21 was also placed on the gate.

PTI workers inside the venue were told to leave. As media personnel converged on the site, police officers from a nearby station arrived to inquire into what happened.

Imran Ismail, the deputy secretary general of the PTI, told The Express Tribune that this was an “attempt by the federal government to slow us down.” Party chief Imran Khan was told of the development and directed PTI to calm its workers down while he helped sort the issue out. A few hours after the gate was locked, the security administration reopened it.

According to Ismail, the SHC ruling – which disposed of a petition over the rally site – did not disallow PTI from holding their event. He said that the Quaid-e-Azam trust had given them permission again as well.

“This will be the largest rally in history,” Ismail predicted. He said they had not faced any issues with coordinating with the police or administration prior to today, as the party has been working on the site since the second week of December. He did say that there were problems before PTI’s October 30 rally in Lahore. “Since the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) had held a rally in Lahore prior to ours and had broken all rules and put up posters and banners”, Ismail said, PTI was able to hold its event. “They gave us Minar-e-Pakistan as a venue because they thought we wouldn’t be able to fill it. And that space wasn’t enough for us.”

It is hard to estimate how many people can fit into the December 25 rally site. A police officer estimated that there was space for up to 500,000 people.

Additional chief secretary for the home department Waseem Ahmed also visited the site to survey it on Friday morning. The police were reportedly developing a security plan for the rally on Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>On schedule: Imran Khan arrives with promise of historic rally</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310719/on-schedule-imran-khan-arrives-with-promise-of-historic-rally</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310719/on-schedule-imran-khan-arrives-with-promise-of-historic-rally#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 22 Dec 11 20:34:12 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[saba.imtiaz]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=310719</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Preparations are under way at the ground across from Quaid’s mazaar, says PTI.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Jinnah airport turned into a sea of red and green as Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) supporters flooded it to receive Imran Khan who declared that Sunday’s public rally would not only go ahead but would also be a “historic” one.


He said that the court had “suspended” the order to not allow PTI’s event, so it would go ahead as planned. “We will be entertaining you!” he announced to the crowd, flanked by former foreign minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who flew in with him on Jahangir Tareen’s private jet.

Khan is in Karachi on a four-day visit, but his primary engagement is the rally on December 25, which he promises will be even larger than the one in Lahore. In fact, he fears that “a rela (flood) of PPP leaders will be rushing to join PTI after December 25.”

With his general secretary Arif Alvi by his side, Khan claimed that the party was not a “King’s party”. “The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) or Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid) can be King’s parties but the PTI is a flood or a tsunami which comes from above.”

The rally will be an event to unite Karachi. “Until Karachi rises, Pakistan’s economy cannot improve since Karachi is a financial hub,” the PTI leader said.

Khan’s supporters - carrying flags and sporting flags as bandannas - crowded around him as he made his way out of the airport. For an hour and a half before his arrival, they had shouted slogans of ‘Prime Minister Imran Khan’, ‘Go Zardari Go’ and ‘Naara-e-Takbeer’ as the pitch built.

PTI supporter Syeda Zohra Rahat was among the hundreds at the airport. Sporting a dupatta in the green and red colours of the PTI flag, which she calls her signature, Rahat said Khan referred to her as “aapa” (elder sister).

Sadia Agha, who has been a PTI supporter since 1996, says she and other workers are “very excited” and believe the party has managed to attract people because they see Khan as a “ray of hope”.

Andaleeb, who flew in from Lahore for the event, said she has been a party worker for four years and in this time, people have grown so disenchanted with the current government that they have turned to Khan as a symbol of hope and change.

Agha isn’t demurred by the politicians from other parties joining PTI. “We have full faith in our leader. This will be a very successful event in Karachi.”

As scheduled

Earlier in the day, at a hurriedly called press conference at the Karachi Press Club, the party’s senior vice president, Hamid Khan, said that preparations for the rally and meeting were already under way at the ground across Quaid-e-Azam’s mazaar.

The PTI’s Dr Arif Alvi added that the rally would be completely peaceful and other political parties should refrain from trying to irritate the party as it prepared for the day.

The press conference was held in an attempt to clear up confusion after the Sindh High Court had disposed of a petition filed by people who wanted the permission for the rally cancelled.

For their part, the judges said they couldn’t interfere in the matter as the Mazaar-e-Quaid board had the power to make any decision according to its rules.

The PTI leaders circulated an email from the secretary of the Federal Ministry of National Heritage and Integration, Faridullah Khan, to prove that they had been granted permission. It said: “As per the permission granted by the competent authority, the PTI may hold its rally at the Quaid’s Mazaar on the 25th December 2011. The organisers will ensure compliance of all necessary rules meant for the care and sanctity and upkeep of the compound.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2011.]]>
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			<title>I went to a PTI rally and all I got was this lousy t-shirt</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310150/branded-politics-i-went-to-a-pti-rally-and-all-i-got-was-this-lousy-t-shirt</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310150/branded-politics-i-went-to-a-pti-rally-and-all-i-got-was-this-lousy-t-shirt#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 11 22:21:56 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ferya..ilyas]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=310150</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Party gears up for Decemb­er 25 with politi­cal produc­ts to spread messag­e.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Tunisia, Libya, Egypt. It’s now time for Pakistan.

This is one of the messages emblazoned across the official t-shirts of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) that are to be worn by supporters during the rally in Karachi on Sunday.

The t-shirts cost up to Rs300 and can be bought from PTI camps set up around Karachi, four of which are already up and running at Nipa Chowrangi, Teen Talwar, PIDC and at Malir Halt. The president of the Insaf Students Federation (ISF) in Karachi, Arsalan Ghumman, said 17 more are in the works.

Ghumman explains that the motive behind making these products is to promote the cause while also gathering funds for party activities. Party merchandise is very simply their way of forwarding PTI’s message of change and spreading awareness. The products are vigorously marketed online via Twitter and Facebook. The ISF also has an SMS service, which is sending out messages promoting PTI merchandise.

Apart from t-shirts, the party has other products such as wrist bands, mugs, badges, caps and car stickers. Every step of the merchandise production, from designing to printing, is the work of PTI supporters, explained Ghumman. “PTI supporters in Dubai and Karachi, who are professionals, have designed these products,” he said. “We are in talks with a shop at the Millennium Mall and our volunteers have also sold these products at Sunday Bazaar,” he added.

Sidrah Nadeem, who owns tie shop All Tied Up in Defence Housing Society Phase VI, told The Express Tribune that she will make PTI products available at her store. “I am helping because I like Imran Khan,” she said, clarifying that she is doing it as voluntary supporter and not a member. It is people like her who pitch in at weekly ISF meetings to give suggestions on how to spread “the message of change.”

T-shirts are a great way for the party to create a sense of uniformity and, because they will be used for some time, they help propagate the idea.  As she puts it: “It’s like saying you support Imran Khan, not just at the jalsa, but throughout the year.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Student convention: PTI will impose ‘state of emergency’ in education’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310086/student-convention-pti-will-impose-%e2%80%98state-of-emergency%e2%80%99-in-education%e2%80%99</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/310086/student-convention-pti-will-impose-%e2%80%98state-of-emergency%e2%80%99-in-education%e2%80%99#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 11 22:00:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=310086</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Tareen says youth support gave hope to veteran politicians.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) will impose a state of emergency in education and make a uniform curriculum for rich and poor if it comes to power, PTI Punjab President Ahsan Rashid said on Wednesday at the fist Insaf Students Federation (ISF) convention at Awain-i-Iqbal on Wednesday.


Rashid said that while India spent 6 per cent of GDP on education, Pakistan spent just 1.3 per cent of GDP on education, one of the lowest rates in the world. Addressing the crowd of students from schools all over Lahore, he said that they represented the future of the party and the country and the PTI would give them a chance to lead.

PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was to be the chief guest at the ‘Mashal-i-Inqilaab’ convention, but he was unable to make it so former federal ministers Jehangir Tareen and Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri took his place.

Kasuri urged the students to get behind Imran Khan and help the country progress. He said while the parties in power had to get help from patwaris to bring people to their rallies, people came to PTI rallies of their own volition. He said Law Minister Rana Sanaullah’s comments about the theft of chairs following the PTI rally in Kasur on Tuesday were “shameful”.

Tareen said in his speech that young people formed the basis of PTI’s support and their enthusiasm had given hope to the senior politicians joining the party.

PTI Women’s Wing President Fauzia Kasuri said the ISF had come out for rallies every time Imran Khan had called it. She said the students were the backbone of the party.

ISF Pakistan President Hassan Khan said Imran Khan had established the party to save Pakistan and it took him 16 years to do so with the support of the youth. Hafiz Farhat Abbas, former ISF chairman, said the student federation had become “an undefeatable force”.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2011.]]>
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			<title>PTI Karachi rally: 'Sindh government gave wrong information to the court'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/309828/pti-karachi-rally-sindh-government-gave-wrong-information-to-the-court</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/309828/pti-karachi-rally-sindh-government-gave-wrong-information-to-the-court#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 11 12:53:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[saba.imtiaz]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=309828</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PTI leaders Naeemul Haque and Arif Alvi ask why the government did not shut down preparations at the site.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has blamed the Sindh government for submitting "incorrect information" in response to a petition challenging the party's rally at Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi.

PTI leaders Naeemul Haque and Arif Alvi were speaking to the media at the planned site of the rally on Wednesday.

"The government intentionally gave the court wrong information which shows contempt and malafide intent," Haque said.

The party leaders said the petitioner had stated that the party's rally would be inside the Mazar grounds so it would hinder people who may want to offer prayers at the mausoleum on December 25.

Party lawyers said they had not seen a copy of the judge's order and were unclear on the exact ruling but believe that there is a stay order on the rally. Since they did not have the order, the lawyers were unable to say whether they would be appealing the decision in the SHC or reappearing before the court to ask them to strike down the stay order or appeal to the Supreme Court.

Haque and Alvi said that Sindh Home Minister Manzaoor Wassan and Home Department Secretary Waseem Ahmed had told them they had permission to go ahead with the rally.

(Read: Christmas day special: Home dept finally succumbs and says yes to PTI rally)

Haque also showed an email from Faridullah Khan, the secretary of the Ministry of National Heritage and Integration - which controls the rally site - which states that the PTI had permission to go ahead with the rally.

According to the party, "If we didn't have permission, why did the government not shut down our preparations at the site. We brought in containers here, our workers have been meeting here and we have held press conferences at the site."

Haque said the party had been in touch with the police and administration for the rally arrangements.

Haque also said that, "We have heard that the petitioner - Murtaza Lakhani - is close to Babar Awan and the new SCBA president Yasin Azad".

The party says it is optimistic that the court will rule in its favour. Haque was unable to tell reporters party chief Imran Khan's stance on the issue since he had not managed to get in touch with him as Khan also had a press conference scheduled at the same time.

PTI to appeal in Supreme Court

PTI Deputy Secretary Imran Ismail says that the party will appeal in the Supreme Court tomorrow (Thursday).

He said that if the party is not granted permission, they will go ahead with the rally at a different venue.

The alternative venue is Shahra-e-Quaideen, said Ismail.

_____________________________________________

[poll id="601"]]]>
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			<title>Switching camps: Former PPP and PML-F workers join PTI</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/307343/switching-camps-former-ppp-and-pml-f-workers-join-pti</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/307343/switching-camps-former-ppp-and-pml-f-workers-join-pti#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 11 23:02:55 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=307343</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Shabbir Jokhio and Rasheed Abbas have said that they are joining the party.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Former Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) leader, Shabbir Jokhio, along with supporters from Memon Goth in Gadap Town, has crossed over to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

At least a hundred of Jokhio’s supporters gathered at the PTI Sindh Secretariat on Thursday evening to hear their leader formally announce the fact that he was joining the party. The move came after several meetings with the PTI’s leadership in Sindh. Several leaders from the PTI spoke at the event, including Aslam Rajput, Subhan Ali Sahil, Zubair Khan and the party’s Sindh president, Naeemul Haque.

Former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) member Rasheed Abbas from Bhains Colony, which falls in the PS-129 constituency, also announced that he is joining PTI along with his supporters. The PS-129 constituency is currently held by the PPP’s Haji Muzaffar Ali Shujra. It is one of the constituencies that the PTI expects to win in the next election. Getting Abbasi and Jokhio on board gives PTI an on-the-ground presence in Karachi that it has been lacking.

PTI leader Aslam Rajput addressed Jokhio’s supporters in Sindhi and criticised Sindh’s politicians and leaders for neglecting the province. Rajput also criticised the prime minister for allegedly remodelling the kitchen at the PM House for Rs26 million, though according to a report aired by a private television channel, it is the presidency at which the work is being carried out. “This money is Sindh’s money!” said Rajput. “We curse such a prime minister.” Haque said that money was being spent on housing for parliamentarians or the military’s expenses instead of the welfare of the people. He also criticised the federal and provincial governments for not helping flood victims and claimed that Imran Khan had visited the flood hit areas and contributed Rs20 million from an ‘Imran Khan Fund’.

Haque said that they had been very impressed with Jokhio’s work in organising support for the PML-F in Memon Goth. He added that PTI would ensure jobs for unemployed people in the country.

Jokhio said he was glad to join PTI and thanked the party’s central and provincial leadership. His supporters, which included a number of teenagers, said that they would attend the December 25 rally in Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>PTI Karachi rally: Imran Khan promises minorities equal rights</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/306498/pti-to-hold-rally-in-karachi-even-if-there-is-a-war-imran-khan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/306498/pti-to-hold-rally-in-karachi-even-if-there-is-a-war-imran-khan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 11 11:49:34 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[express]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[‘Programme for representation in all govt branches to be announced on 25th’.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf will unveil a comprehensive programme for all branches of the government on December 25,” said the party’s chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday.

Addressing a minority workers convention, Khan said PTI will hold the rally in Karachi “even if there is a war going on”. He said that security will always be a concern in Karachi. “We are going to Karachi to stop politics through hate and intimidation,” he said.

When asked why he had chose December 25 for a rally, he said, “The date is symbolic. It’s Quaid-i-Azam’s birth anniversary.” He said that PTI wanted to build the Pakistan Quaid had envisaged. “If we change the date, the purpose will be lost,” he said.

Khan said that the party would welcome members of other parties. “It’s a political party, not a private club. But [the member’s] reputation will be considered,” he said. Khan said that his party will contest the elections from every constituency and that PTI needs about 1,000 candidates. He also said that PTI can only bring a change once it is voted into power. Answering a question on the blockade of Nato supplies, he said, “It’s like curing a cancer with aspirin.”

“The only way to cure this ‘cancer’ is to get out of this war,” Khan said, adding “I said this seven years ago and those in power are realising it now.” Khan assured the workers that minorities would be given equal rights when PTI comes into power.

Former PPP senator Shafqat Mehmood replaced Omar Cheema as PTI’s central information secretary.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Christmas day special: Home dept finally succumbs and says yes to PTI rally</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/306495/we-have-permitted-pti-to-hold-rally-in-karachi-matter-not-in-our-hands-now</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/306495/we-have-permitted-pti-to-hold-rally-in-karachi-matter-not-in-our-hands-now#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 11 10:33:17 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=306495</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Government says it did not have a problem to hold the rally in the first place.]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has finally been granted permission by the home department to hold their rally, as planned, on December 25 at the ground adjacent to Quaid-e-Azam's mausoleum.

Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan made the announcement after a detailed discussion with PTI leaders at the home department on Wednesday. The additional chief secretary of the home department, Waseem Ahmed, said that the Sindh government never really had an issue with them holding a rally in the first place.

Officials from the home department said that the grounds did not fall under their jurisdiction and their control came under a federal-level body called the Quaid-i-Azam Trust. "The problem was that the political party was insisting to hold the rally on the same day as the Quaid's birthday," said an official. "We already had plans to hold an event for the Quaid's birthday."

PTI Sindh President Naeemul Haque, however, said that the idea was not to overshadow the Quaid's birthday. "We are actually celebrating the Quaid's birthday, not overshadowing it," he said. "We are trying to remind people about Mohammad Ali Jinnah's message. We are trying to remind them of faith, unity and discipline, especially national unity."

He added that the matter was sorted out and the mausoleum's management gave them permission to hold the rally.

Home department officials had earlier asked PTI officials to hold their rally at an alternative venue such as Nishtar Park. "Even in the meeting we asked them what was more important - the Quaid's birthday or the PTI rally," said Ahmed. "But they wouldn't listen to us."

Security measures taken by the government for the rally were also discussed at the meeting. An official from the home department said that the police and Rangers will be deployed.

Haque said that the security plan would be discussed and drawn up in the next couple of days with input from the home department, the police and Rangers.  He added that the home department had assured PTI leaders that the security would be taken care of and they would have to work closely with the traffic police as massive traffic arrangements would have to be made.

Haque said that there will be no politicians joining PTI at the event itself, any announcements will be made separately and before or after the December 25 event. He also declined to give an exact number of how many people the party expects will be attending, but believes it will be in hundreds of thousands.

PTI secretary general Arif Alvi and PTI leader Firdous Naqvi were also present at the meeting.

December 25 is a national holiday and senior government officials, dignitaries and schoolchildren usually go to the mausoleum to pay their respects to the founder of the nation.

New members

Father Wilson John Gill and Pastor Maria from the Christian community joined the PTI on Wednesday. The PTI's women's wing Sindh President Zehra Shahid invited the Christian community to participate in their upcoming rally on December 25.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Facebook ban, PTI trolls steal the limelight at internet report launch</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/306226/facebook-ban-pti-trolls-steal-the-limelight-at-internet-report-launch</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/306226/facebook-ban-pti-trolls-steal-the-limelight-at-internet-report-launch#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 14 Dec 11 03:10:14 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Atika.rehman]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=306226</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[German PhD candidate focuses on political potential of new information technologies.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The role social media and the internet are playing in Pakistan is undeniable. More and more young Pakistanis are joining Twitter and Facebook and participating in heated debates online - but should these discussions be monitored and controlled?

These concerns were tossed back and forth between journalists, bloggers and activists at the launch of the report “New Media vs Old Politics”, a 69-page research project undertaken by Marcus Michaelsen, a PhD candidate at the University of Erfurt (Germany).

The report, launched by a German political foundation, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, which has been working in Pakistan for more than 20 years, is the first exploratory research on the use of the internet, social media and the subsequent process of democratisation in Pakistan.

The general secretary of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Dr Arif Alvi, was among the commentators at the launch. Highlighting his party’s role in using social media tools to connect with people, he said: “I used to attend party meetings with my laptop in hand, and was ridiculed for being disconnected from people at the grassroots level.”

The internet also allows the PTI to campaign for “peanuts”, which is also more effective than traditional politicking with rallies and street campaigns.

As Dr Alvi’s brief concluded, a participant levelled criticism at PTI “trolls” or people who post inflammatory comments online. He said that some “low IQ” online visitors on PTI forums frequently post abusive remarks which defeat the party’s ideology. Dr Alvi replied that these spaces are monitored, and that he once personally deleted derogatory remarks about a TV anchor at her behest.

Other participants noted that while abuse and trolling is common online, web forums are important platforms for discussion and debate, something that was not possible earlier.

Also raised was the two-week Facebook court ban in response to public outrage over a competition on the social networking site that encouraged people to post drawings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). President of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), Jehan Ara, was critical of censorship and highlighted the need for legislation.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>December 25 show: PTI unveils plans for media blitz as rally venue still up in the air</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/306269/december-25-show-pti-unveils-plans-for-media-blitz-as-rally-venue-still-up-in-the-air</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/306269/december-25-show-pti-unveils-plans-for-media-blitz-as-rally-venue-still-up-in-the-air#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 13 Dec 11 22:31:35 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=306269</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Federal ministry that overlooks Quaid-e-Azam Trust meeting today on the use of the ground.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[“There won’t be a single area left without a PTI banner!” At least that’s the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) plan for an advertising campaign blitz to promote its December 25 rally in Karachi which the party wants to hold at a ground near Mazar-e-Quaid.

The rally will begin at 1 pm on Sunday, Christmas day, with Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi as the big-ticket numbers.

According to the PTI Sindh chief, Naeemul Haque, thousands of PTI supporters from across Pakistan are expected to amass for the rally.

But where they will be seated is contingent on the Federal ministry of national heritage and integration. The ground near the Mazar-e-Quaid is controlled by the Quaid-e-Azam Trust which the ministry overlooks. Federal minister Samina Khalid Ghurki has told PTI that the issue will be decided by Wednesday. Haque said he had also spoken with the Sindh chief secretary, who has assured him the government will provide police officers and help with security if the ministry allows the party to use the land.

The PTI has also reached out to the federal government, since December 25 is not only Christmas but also the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s birth anniversary, when hundreds of people, government officials and politicians visit the mausoleum. But the PTI is not inviting any politicians to its rally - though Haque said they are welcome to attend.

Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wassan and Sindh Information Minister Shazia Marri have both said the provincial government has no objections to the PTI rally and that both security and assistance from the provincial government will be provided.

Wassan said that the government has given PTI the option of Nishtar Park while Marri added that  they had urged the party to consider another venue as the workers of other parties will be paying their respects to Mohammad Ali Jinnah at the mausoleum on the same day and that could agitate the law and order situation in the area.

The party expects it will require 1,000 to 2,000 volunteers for security and 400 to control the traffic, and the PTI’s Karachi leadership will be handling these issues. Haque said the PTI has consulted security experts, who have advised them to do physical body checks instead of arranging for electronic gates, though given the large turnout the party expects, it will be looking into different options.

The PTI also dealt blows to two political parties on Tuesday, as the head of the Bilawal Bhutto Lovers Organisation, Irshad Hussain, and Zareen Syed, a cousin of Awami National Party (ANP) leader Shahi Syed, have announced that they are joining the Imran Khan-led party.

According to the PTI’s Ashraf Qureshi, “Irshad Hussain wanted to work for the late Benazir Bhutto’s mission and for Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari but once he saw that the Pakistan Peoples Party was not following Benazir’s mission he decided to join the PTI. Qureshi said that Ahmed Sohail of Pasban and the Sindh Democratic Alliance’s general secretary Shabbir have also joined the party.

While Zareen Syed is not an official member of the ANP, Qureshi said that a large number of ANP supporters have joined the PTI and they will accept any “clean” leaders from the party into its ranks as well. Qureshi said they are currently in talks with a considerable number of political leaders and one should expect similar announcements soon.

The numbers Haque threw out at a press conference on Tuesday evening provide a glimpse into how much groundwork is being done for the rally. Haque said 2,000 to 3,000 banners have already been put up in Karachi and another 8,000 will festoon its streets soon. Eighty billboards at major locations bear PTI advertisements and the party will advertise on 125 more. Two hundred thousand handbills have been distributed in the city.

The party also plans to arrange buses for 60,000 supporters. It will be placing 40,000 chairs at the venue, with separate seating for women and the media, and there will be floor mats for another 60,000 people. PTI volunteers will be giving out 50,000 flags. In the week prior to the rally, the PTI will be setting up 30 to 50 camps in the city and have mobile units out to promote the event.

In response to a question, Haque said that the rally was being funded by donations collected by the PTI in Pakistan and its chapters in the UK, US, UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Political Strength: Two PML-N ticket holders join PTI</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304665/political-strength-two-pml-n-ticket-holders-join-pti</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304665/political-strength-two-pml-n-ticket-holders-join-pti#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 11 Dec 11 12:19:16 +0500</pubDate>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=304665</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The announcement was made after a meeting with the PTI Punjab president  at the party’s provincial secretariat.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Two ticket holders of PML-N Col (retired) Rafaqat from Vehari and Maj (retired) Iqbal Cheema from Sialkot, joined Pakistan Tehreek-i -Insaf on Saturday. The announcement was made after a meeting with the PTI Punjab president Ahsan Rashid at the party’s provincial secretariat.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2011. ]]>
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			<title>PTI to go ahead with rally with or without permit</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304849/christmas-spirit-pti-to-go-ahead-with-rally-with-or-without-permit</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/304849/christmas-spirit-pti-to-go-ahead-with-rally-with-or-without-permit#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 10 Dec 11 21:05:37 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[shaheryar.mirza]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=304849</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Party expecting at least half a million people for Bagh-e-Quaid gathering.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has declared that it will hold its December 25 rally in Karachi even if the government does not cooperate with it. But it simultaneously admits that it will need government security as it expects half a million people to show up.


The government has currently banned political gatherings under a law called Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code. “We don’t need government permission for this rally as it is being held in a public place,” said the party’s chief in Sindh, Naeem-ul Haq. “But we have sent a letter to the government informing it of the rally.” But for their part, home department adviser Sharafuddin Memon said that if a letter had been sent to them, he wasn’t aware of it yet.

PTI members went around Bagh-e-Quaid on Saturday to survey the spot and briefed journalists on their preparations. PTI Sindh General Secretary Dr Alvi couldn’t hold back comment. “This land was supposed to be made into a park but it is filled with rocks. The few trees that were planted have dried up and there is open sewerage and garbage everywhere. There is no reason we shouldn’t be able to hold the rally here.”

Party workers have been ordered to start cleaning the plot two days before the rally. “The empty plot’s condition will actually improve because of the rally, as we will clean and possibly even level it.” A confident Dr Alvi went on to say that perhaps the government did not want to cooperate with the PTI as it was becoming a big power in the country.

The plot is located directly across Mazaar-e-Quaid near Numaish Chowrangi, a popular spot for political gatherings in the city. It is fenced off from all sides and is surrounded by roads on three. The party claims that the rally will not cause any major traffic jams but it expects more people to turn up than the Lahore rally. Party supporters are expecte to be bussing in from across Sindh.

Haq described the spot as perfect for the rally. “We are expecting at least half a million people and there is no other place in Karachi that can hold this many people,” he said. “It is more secure than the open road.”

The rally is taking place on Christmas Day and Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s birth anniversary. This had led Sindh Information Minister Shazia Marri to earlier question the PTI’s timing as it could make it difficult for Karachi’s Christians to commute. The PTI’s response was that no churches were located in the vicinity, they were not shutting down any roads and Christmas celebrations wouldn’t be taking place at the time of the rally.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2011]]>
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			<title>Sindh govt yet to grant permission for Karachi rally: Imran Khan</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/303499/sindh-govt-yet-to-grant-permission-for-karachi-rally-imran-khan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/303499/sindh-govt-yet-to-grant-permission-for-karachi-rally-imran-khan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 08 Dec 11 13:40:18 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[abdul.manan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=303499</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Khan says he will explore other options if permission is not granted.]]>
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				<![CDATA[While Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters gear up for what has been billed as a mega-rally in Karachi on December 25, their party chief announced on Thursday that the Sindh government has not yet approved an application submitted earlier by the party in which it sought approval for holding the rally at Mazar-e-Quaid.

Imran Khan made this announcement while speaking to the media at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, but pacified supporters by adding that the PTI will explore other options, such as legal action, to obtain permission for its public gathering in the metropolis.

Khan also said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led coalition government might not complete its constitutional term and demanded that a neutral setup be formed for holding general elections in the country.

Khan said that the current crisis might not allow the government to complete its legal term. He said that only those governments which have public support have come out successful from crises. Khan criticized the PPP for “seeking support from US” in this regard, adding that it was unfortunate that the current government was taking this route.

He said that a neutral set-up in which no there is no involvement of any political figure, should be constituted soon.

Khan disclosed that many resignations were expected and asked the people of Pakistan to be mentally prepared as they would witness the resignations coming from other politicians.

Khan said that people have had enough of the old political parties which have failed to deliver for the betterment of people and said that they want to see PTI in power.

He said that corruption, inflation, dishonesty, poor law and order situation and bad governance are the setbacks of PPP-led government and PML-N's government in Punjab. He also said that leaderships of both parties are incompetent to address the basic issues of people.]]>
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			<title>School timings: Examining PTI rally repercussions</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/298176/school-timings-examining-pti-rally-repercussions</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/298176/school-timings-examining-pti-rally-repercussions#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 27 Nov 11 05:50:13 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=298176</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Teachers, students of Shujabad unhappy with rally clashing with exam timings.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Teachers and students in Shujabaad complained about the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) rally that disrupted school activities.


School administration and students said that it was unethical of the PTI to organise political processions in government school grounds during an exam day.

“The whole system has been disturbed because of the rally. Students have been not able to prepare for their examinations,” said a teacher at the Shujaabad Government High School. Senior head master of the school, Rana Gulzar Mohayuddin said that he had refused to let the PTI use the school as the venue for its rally because the institution was also serving as an examination centre for the intermediate supplementary exams. “But the district administration pressured me to give  permission,” he said.

He said that District coordination officer (DCO) Zahid Akhtar Zaman had visited the school and Commissioner Khurram Ali Agha had given PTI the go ahead, ignoring their objections.

Students and teachers expressed their concerns over the rally clashing with their examinations and said that this would affect their performance.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Hunting trip: Ahead of PTI rally, Agha Siraj pays Ghotki sardar a visit</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/293046/hunting-trip-ahead-of-pti-rally-agha-siraj-pays-ghotki-sardar-a-visit</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/293046/hunting-trip-ahead-of-pti-rally-agha-siraj-pays-ghotki-sardar-a-visit#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 11 21:18:33 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=293046</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[MNA Faryal Talpur is also expected to visit Sardar Ali Gohar Mahar soon.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Agha Siraj Durrani of the Pakistan Peoples Party made a trip to Ghotki on Wednesday in what may have been an attempt to woo Sardar Ali Gohar Mahar. 

The visit comes mere days before former PPP leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi is scheduled to attend a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf rally in the area.

Qureshi’s defection came up during Durrani’s visit. He told the media at Khangarh and Ghotki that it would barely cause a ripple in the grand scheme of things. He maintained that the PPP is a big party and Qureshi’s resignation would cause no harm.

But for all intents and purposes, Durrani was in the area on a hunting trip and a personal visit to his friend, Sardar Mahar. He confirmed that he has given Sardar Mahar the president’s message about helping the government to bring about a change for the better and development in the country. However, he claimed that the message was not for the sardar alone, but for the entire nation. It is rumoured that Durrani’s trip was an attempt to ask the sardar to use his influence to sabotage Qureshi’s November 27 address in Ghotki, or at least tell his men to stay away from the meeting. This may prove difficult, however, because Qureshi has a large following of diehard supporters in the district.

Durrani was quick to deny suggestions, however, that he was meeting Sardar Mahar in an attempt to disrupt Qureshi’s upcoming public meeting in Ghotki. “We are democratic people and everybody has the right to express their views,” he said. “It was army dictator, General Zia-ul Haq, who used to stop political parties from holding public meetings.”

Durrani’s visit to Khangarh could also serve as a preamble to MNA Faryal Talpur’s expected visit to the area. It is expected that, if everything goes according to plan, Sardar Mahar might declare his loyalty for the PPP after meeting with Talpur.

For his part, Sardar Mahar stressed that he was not affiliated with a political party at present and Durrani’s visit was purely a hunting trip and not political. The sardar was otherwise affiliated with the Pakistan Muslim League-Q. He is the brother of Ali Mohammad Mahar, who was the CM of Sindh before Arbab Ghulam Rahim. The sardar is also related to Ghous Bux Mahar of Shikarpur.

Durrani also visited PPP Ghotki taluka president Sikandar Lakho at his house.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th,  2011.]]>
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			<title>Political convention: PTI to test the waters in Sindh</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288363/political-convention-pti-to-test-the-waters-in-sindh</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288363/political-convention-pti-to-test-the-waters-in-sindh#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 06 Nov 11 05:28:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[zahid.gishkori]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=288363</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Rallies to be held in Karachi, Sukkur and Hyderabad.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Fresh from the success of its crowd-pulling rally in Lahore, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has drawn up plans for a series of political rallies to test the waters in Sindh. However, this time around many in the political realm aren’t too optimistic about the turnout.


PTI chief Imran Khan is due to endorse the plan at the party’s central executive committee meeting in Islamabad, sometime after November 15, said party leaders.

“His party will flex its muscles at all costs in Karachi,” said PTI Sindh President Naeemul Haq. “We pin the same hopes on these rallies as we did in Lahore,” he added, saying that the rally will make its way from Mazar-e-Quaid on December 25.

Rallies will be held in Sukkur, Hyderabad, Larkana and Karachi with an objective to share their 10-point agenda titled “Sindh Sukkar” (Prosperous Sindh) with the ruling government and its allies in the province, he explained.

“The proposed agenda would include the party’s objective of uplifting the poor in Sindh,” Haq said, adding that the first rally would be led by Imran Khan and be held from Sukkur to Hyderabad.

“It will be a big political show against the PPP and its allies in Sindh,” he claimed.

The executive committee will also formally hand over responsibilities to its newest high-profile member, former Punjab governor and founding president of the PML-Q, Mian Muhammad Azhar, to manoeuvre voting in the coming elections within the Pakistan Muslim League-N, said a party leader.

“After Punjab, Sindh is our focal point for winning the support of young voters,” PTI Information Secretary Umer Cheema added.

Yet, others in the political realm weren’t too optimistic and sanguine about PTI’s ability to capitalise on its momentum in Sindh. “If PTI invites good musicians to attract the youth then some people might come out to attend its rallies in Sindh,” said Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon.

The minister added that the Sindh government will accommodate Imran’s supporters and provide facilities to hold peaceful rallies.

In sharp criticism of the former cricketer, Memon said that Imran should, however, make a final decision about his love-hate relationship with the military and establishment before holding rallies in Sindh.

Dr Ayesha Siddiqa, a political analyst, believed that the political temperature in Sindh was relatively different from Lahore. “Imran might manage to hold a good rally but it may not necessarily manoeuvre the vote bank,” she said.

Siddiqa felt that the PTI chief will hope to achieve a similar turnout in Sindh as he did in Lahore, but since ruling parties in Sindh were not in direct conflict with the military, such as the PML-N in Punjab, the rallies may not be as impactful in Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Not another tsunami</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288134/not-another-tsunami</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288134/not-another-tsunami#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 05 Nov 11 17:05:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[saroop.ijaz]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=288134</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[While Lahore rally proved me wrong on number of Imran Khan followers, it reinforced already settled impression of him.]]>
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				<![CDATA[The certification of genuine arrival as a leader often requires a singular momentous spectacle. In the case of Imran Khan, it happened on October 30. All the positive aspects of the rally at Minar-e-Pakistan have already been repeated to you, many times by now, and hence I will not belabour you with them. Amongst the euphoria surrounding the rally, a new buzzword has entered our rather stagnant political vocabulary, the word being ‘tsunami’. The choice of using a metaphor of sheer horror and utter destruction for political change is at the same time interesting and slightly disturbing. The breezy usage of natural calamities as symbols of political activity is definitely on the rise. We have heard the term boonchal (earthquake) for military takeovers before. There is no likeness here, earthquakes and tsunamis are not brought on by conspiring, malicious individuals or institutions. This was followed by a ‘tsunami’ of uncritical praise even by previous detractors. I have a suspicion that many felt that criticising Khan for his evidently incorrect assertions would somehow be disrespectful to the very large number of young people who attended the rally. Well, it should not be. The rally was admittedly a success, however the courtesy of treating PTI followers as adults (at least most of them) should be extended and they be given our candid opinion. I know of many extremely intelligent and sincere people who believe Imran Khan to be the saviour, and we will just have to agree to disagree.

I do not make a pretence of a neutral, fly-on-the-wall observer regarding my views on Imran Khan. The Lahore rally proved me wrong about the extent and numbers of his following. However, other than that one quantitative aspect, it reinforced the already settled impression of him possibly being an establishment stooge and either extremely naive or purely disingenuous. The towing of the military establishment line while attempting to be a populist leader is a contradiction that to me is irreconcilable, and hence makes him a hypocrite.

The single most anticlimactic moment of the rally was definitely the speech of Imran Khan himself. With the stage set for a historic speech, the opportunity was squandered by him. The unimpressive and apparently extempore speech was largely filled with repetitions of easy recommendations he frequently imparts. Conspicuously absent was mention of any serious military accountability. While Khan rightly exhorts politicians to bring back their foreign assets, he is curiously silent on the military’s multibillion assets in Pakistan. How about we begin at home? The foreign policy element in his speech was equally one-dimensional and simplistic — that of standing up to the United States and befriending China. No marks for novelty here. His argument against drone attacks is cogent standing alone, but it is almost immediately followed by why we should negotiate with the Taliban. Terming these sadistic medievalists as “our brothers” estranged by drone attacks is plainly dishonest and is an attempt to perpetuate the narrative of the military establishment’s discredited doctrine of ‘strategic depth’. I hope I do not have to burden your memory much while reminding you of the consequences of the previous occasions we capitulated, most recently in the Swat peace deal. Advisers like Shireen Mazari and mentors such as Gen (r) Hameed Gul are not confidence-inspiring. Imran Khan made a token statement on Balochistan, I sincerely hope that he follows up, though given his record and affiliations I am not hopeful. The closest he came to a making a serious policy point was while talking about patwaris and thanas, unfortunately he trailed off without a concrete suggestion.

The image of Imran Khan praying alone on the stage in Minar-e-Pakistan is telling. I have no doubt that the theatrical move was orchestrated and calculated as a ploy to reinforce his image of the messiah. I found it exhibitionist, ostentatious and a manifestation of an ego the size of Lahore. Could he not have prayed off stage or conducted a jamaat if he was so inclined — so much for being inclusive. However, do remember it is the same man who titled his recent autobiography Pakistan; a political history. This is quite a contrast with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s Lahore speech of 1977 where he said “Haan mein sharab peeta hoon, laikan awam ka khoon nahi peeta!” (Yes I drink alcohol, but I do not drink the people’s blood). And before anyone embarks into drawing hopelessly inexact parallels between Khan and Bhutto’s rise, they will do well to remember Bhutto was fighting the military establishment while Imran Khan has them babysitting him.

Malcolm Gladwell made famous “the Warren Harding error” in his cleverly written book Blink. Warren Harding was one of the worst presidents in the history of the United States. Gladwell attributes Harding’s rise to the Oval office to the fact that the latter looked presidential and stately. Harding was a tall, dark and handsome man with a very perfunctory understanding of statecraft. He was vague and ambivalent on almost all major issues during his political career, but continued on the way up because he just came across as heroic. I am sure this is not the only reason people gravitate towards Khan, but personal charisma remains a major selling point.

The last argument which should be addressed is: don’t all of these objections apply to our current political leadership? They probably do, but our current leadership is not prophesying a tsunami. People who vote for them will have a fair idea of what they will get. Nevertheless, Khan’s policies and motivations will be more minutely examined and more criticism will follow, now that he seems to be a serious enough player. A reference I am sure many of Imran Khan’s fans will understand is from the movie Spiderman: “with great power comes great responsibility”. Khan has brought the historically apolitical urban youth into mainstream politics and needs to be commended for that and I hope that they vote for him, if they are so inclined, and elect him. However, if there is to be another attempt at a GHQ-backed test-tube revolution, that will be the real tsunami.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Transition without transformation</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288139/transition-without-transformation</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288139/transition-without-transformation#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 05 Nov 11 16:38:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ayesha.siddiqa]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=288139</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Extreme sociopolitical crises result in extreme solutions that are akin to a shot of morphine giving immediate high.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[For many, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally in Lahore indicated a nationalist upsurge — the sudden pride in being a Pakistani who was part of the process of an upbeat political activity. The sense of elation was natural, given the fact that crisis rather than the lack of it has become the rule rather than the exception. An average Pakistani seems to be on a never-ending roller coaster ride. Nations that get sucked into such a whirlwind often lose their sense of making appropriate choices. In fact, the appropriate choice becomes the one which provides instant, though short-termed, relief from an immediate crisis.

Under the circumstances, the tendency is to deconstruct existing structures, often at the pace of destruction, and replace them with something which is often militantly nationalistic, self-righteous and generally dictatorial in character. Hence, extreme sociopolitical crises results in extreme solutions that may not bring long-term relief but are akin to a shot of morphine that gives an immediate high.

One of the best examples of what results from the collapse of a sociopolitical system is the rise of the Third Reich in Germany during the 1930s. Burdened by global recession and a humiliating military defeat, the bulk of middle-class Germany found refuge in Adolf Hitler’s ideology. The Fuhrer promised getting rid of the Treaty of Versailles and unemployment. The silver lining was that once in power, the Nazis would change everything that had been spoiled by the ruling elite of those days. The Weimar government was ferociously accused of capsising to the enemy. The moral fabric of German society had thinned to a degree that there was little possibility of questioning Hitler’s logic.

Thus, the rise of the Nazis was phenomenal. From getting 12 seats in 1928, the Nazi party gained popularity, winning 107 seats in 1930 and 230 in 1932. The sociopolitical and cultural discourse also began to change. There was greater emphasis on German traditions and values, which the Nazis promised to reinforce. This became extremely popular with the youth and women. The latter played an important role in enhancing the political power of the Nazis, just like we saw in the case of Maulana Fazlullah in Swat.

The ascendency of the Nazis to power was not a reflection of some inherent unreasonableness of the German people but an indicator of the utter collapse of German society. Eager to survive and frustrated by the callousness of a political structure that didn’t deliver or dialogue, middle-class Germany opted for a dictatorial philosophy that had the potential of providing immediate relief. The German society at that time had completely lost the sense and ability to transform, hence temporary transition was the only option. The choice itself indicated the depravity of the then existing political system for which the best option was Hitler. Every act of political misdemeanour such as making concessions to the forces of evil and compromising on larger public good comes to haunt a state and its society. The Nazi party, which was a natural beneficiary of the flawed system, made gains through the excellent use of technology and modern tools of communication. Part of the problem of a weakening political structure is that the stakeholders are unable to reinvent themselves.

The crumbling power of the Weimer Republic forced various powerful interest groups to search for a more potent player with the capacity to generate a more gripping ideology, which the Nazis presented in the form of fascism or an extreme form of nationalism. Not that foreign players did not have a hand in Germany’s military and economic devastation, but fascism held European powers entirely responsible for the chaos. At one level, the society had become very politicised and, on the other, extremely apolitical because the formula for changing conditions was absolute force and not dialogue and negotiations.

Pragmatism is indeed a double-edged sword. Political survival is necessary but not at the cost of ideals and values. Hitler was a choice made by a society that had forgotten the art to negotiate dialogue and stand up for some principles. In the mid-1930s, when everyone in Germany thought they were transiting to a safe option, they were actually burning all their boats. Transition does not happen without transformation!

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6th, 2011.]]>
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			<title>Tribune Take: A tale of three rallies</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288097/tribune-take-a-tale-of-three-rallies</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288097/tribune-take-a-tale-of-three-rallies#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 05 Nov 11 13:56:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[mahawish.rezvi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=288097</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Zarrar Khuhto discusses the differences between the three recent political rallies in Pakistan.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[In today’s episode of the Tribune Take we take a look at the sudden surge of political rallies across the country. 

Zarrar Khuhro, editor T-Magazine, gives us a preview of Sunday's edition of the magazine, explaining why he chose to focus on the three major rallies - Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) - taken out across the country..

Khuhro says he wanted to focus on the atmosphere of the rallies, comparing thier look and feel, trying to convey to his readers how it feels to actually be a part of the rally.

Comparing the three rallies, Khuhro said the PTI's efforts took everyone by surprise, while the PML-N's rally had a much more attacking tone and the MQM rally seemed to be a dose of the usual.

Watch today’s episode here, or click the video thumbnail in the right hand column.

The Tribune Take daily news web show will appear on the tribune.com.pk home page.

The Take will feature in-depth interviews and analysis with editors and reporters who are covering the major stories, exploring front page events and major ledes. The news analysis covers the way The Express Tribune examines a story, how we cover it and why.]]>
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			<title>Emerging competition: Shahbaz called early morning meeting after PTI rally</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288020/emerging-competition-shahbaz-called-early-morning-meeting-after-pti-rally</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/288020/emerging-competition-shahbaz-called-early-morning-meeting-after-pti-rally#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 05 Nov 11 00:21:38 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[azam.khan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=288020</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PML-N decides to closely monitor activities of political opponents.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[While Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan must have woken up a happy man on the morning of November 1, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is said to have been seriously perturbed by the emerging opponent’s unexpectedly successful rally.


After the rally and Imran’s huge show of strength in Punjab’s heartland Lahore, the provincial government has decided to closely monitor the activities of its political opponents and the entities that are allegedly supporting their rallies.

Sources in the Punjab Chief Minister House told The Express Tribune that Shahbaz Sharif was visibly disturbed over PTI’s success in drawing hundreds of thousands of people to the heart of the Punjab province and the stronghold of the provincial government.

Sharif convened a high-level meeting at the CM House the very next morning after the PTI’s rally. He was informed that the federal government, the establishment and a number of NGOs had all played their part in building up support for Imran’s rally.

The unofficial meeting, which was attended by members of the provincial government, took stock of PTI’s activities before the rally. The CM was briefed that PTI’s successful rally was financed and supported by certain elements, including the establishment and local and foreign NGOs. After the meeting, the Punjab government closely monitored the Jeevay Pakistan and Jeevay Muqami Haqoomat rallies organised by a local NGO in Gujranwala in support of local bodies, sources said.

“Activities of certain officials of the Punjab government are also under observation since an officer was instrumental in organising the Gujranwala rally on Thursday,” sources said.

When approached for comments, PML-N spokesperson Senator Mushahidullah Khan said they knew many organisations and political parties were campaigning against the PML-N with the federal government’s consent. He said many organisations were receiving huge financial support for the uplift of deprived segments but the money was being spent on “other activities”. “We are not worried since we know most people attended the Minar-e-Pakistan rally because Imran is a national hero first and then a politician,” he said. “Election realities are different from the politics of rallies.”

However, Mushahidullah endorsed Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah’s statement that Imran Khan is holding sit-ins and rallies on the establishment’s directions. “It is a fact,” he said.” We have told all stakeholders including the federal government, establishment and NGOs to use a genuine platform for their political activities,” he said. “The federal government raised objections on the PML-N rally, while supporting the PTI and MQM rallies. The PML-N will sweep the upcoming general election like in 1997.”

(Read: The after-party: PML-N, PTI - the suggestive rhetoric begins)

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th,  2011.]]>
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			<title>The popular choice</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/286623/the-popular-choice</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/286623/the-popular-choice#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 02 Nov 11 17:54:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[sami.shah]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=286623</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[I have an inherent distrust for anything popular and in Imran Khan's new popularity, I await my I-Told-You-So moment.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[I suffer from an inherent distrust of anything popular. My instinct is always: if everyone likes it then it mustn’t be very good. It is a judgment that has served me well, saving me from wasting hours of my life on the Twilight series, “Entourage”, political talk shows, Bollywood (especially anything with Shahrukh Khan in it) and tomatoes. The times when I have been happily proven wrong are few but memorable: The Harry Potter films (particularly the last three in the series), club sandwiches, Twitter and night suit pyjamas. Behaviourally, the result of this anti-popular attitude has resulted in an obnoxious level of cynicism that I am always trying to consciously curb. No one wants to sit next to the guy with his thumbs permanently positioned downwards.

This attitude, combined with my lack of basic eye-hand coordination, means I have always hated cricket. It started out as bitterness, caused by my consistently being chosen last for any team before being relegated to the furthest corner of the field. The mass throwing up of arms in despair whenever it was my turn to wield the bat didn’t help much, nor did the fact that the bat and ball were mine and the playing field was always my garden. The result of all this negativity was that I distrusted anyone who played cricket and generally felt the game was patronised only by morally corrupt jerks who would reveal themselves one day as fools, liars and beaters of women and babies. Therefore, you can imagine my smug smile of victory as the verdict of the spot-fixing trial was recently announced. “See,” I muttered, “if we had all just stayed inside and read books like I said, then none of this would have happened”. Pakistan would not have been shamed (yet again) on the international stage and none of your hearts would be broken by the shameful betrayal that our team put you through. But no one ever listens to me until it’s too late. The curse of being unpopular.

This is probably why I dislike the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf even more now. They never rejected me for membership (largely because I never gave them the opportunity by applying), but the current wave of popularity has set my cynicism senses tingling aplenty. Imran Khan himself I do not mind so much. His honesty, I don’t doubt for a second, nor do I question his commitment to his beliefs. Better and more knowledgeable people than I have critiqued the intelligence behind those beliefs and the practicality of his promises. I agree with all their analysis and won’t bother regurgitating it here. You, after all, will not be convinced by me that having Hamid Gul as a supporter is a bad sign and finding partners in the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan is worse. Those who have thrown their support behind him have done so with all the zeal of a Twilight enthusiast and it will take nothing less than post-election disillusionment and disappointment for them to realise that a little cynicism goes a long way. For now, even I am willing to acknowledge that the oddly unfamiliar sensation of hope that everyone is feeling is a good high to enjoy and anyone who will further diminish the PML-N’s chances of being relevant is appreciated. Do I wish Imran Khan was liberal, secular and analytically impressive? Absolutely, but then I’ve also come to terms (albeit grudgingly) with the fact that those are not things that Pakistan currently has any interest in being. Do I also wish that he had stayed consistent with the anti-corruption platform he began with all those years ago? Sure, but then he would have to staff the entire government with clones of himself were he to ever come to power. So all that’s left of me is to sit here and sulk, waiting for my turn at the inevitable I-Told-You-So. Let me have that, it’s all I have left.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2011. ]]>
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			<title>Lessons for mainstream parties</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/286079/lessons-for-mainstream-parties</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/286079/lessons-for-mainstream-parties#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 01 Nov 11 17:02:23 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[professor.ijaz.khan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=286079</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PTI rally shows real decision making remains with establishment, political parties must counter with strong democracy.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[By attracting a huge crowd in Lahore, Imran Khan has evoked considerable interest and generated heated debate in the media. Many people are talking of taking his party seriously, and discussions have been vigorous on television channels. The success of his rally has also caused many mainstream political parties to react strongly. The important issue is not what he said, but the crowd that he attracted, its composition and the implications for the country’s overall scheme of politics.

Whether the number was less than or more than 100,000 is now immaterial. Even his biggest detractors are now agreed that it was definitely the biggest they have seen in Lahore for years. And it would be fair to say that a large percentage of the people came on their own, unlike what may happen, say, at rallies organised by some other political parties. To say that a lot of money may have been spent on the rally is also not a fair comment because all parties spend money to organise a rally on such a scale. Also, the argument that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) may now be able to make a dent in the PML-N’s vote bank is belittling the PTI’s potential given the turnout at its Lahore rally.

Imran Khan quite clearly holds an attraction for young people. Furthermore, it seems that the — generally apolitical — middle class, which is fed up of mainstream political parties, seems to have found a liking for him. Of course, here I would say that these young people generally have not taken to politics, they usually keep away from it because they consider it a place where one gets dirty and where things get ugly. But the question to ask is that after showing their support for him, will they continue to stay engaged with politics?

There is also the concern, voiced by many, that the establishment is supporting him. And to give proof of this they are now saying that the PTI chief said nothing about reducing the defence budget, and that his views on India, or the Taliban for that matter, are more or less the same as that of the establishment.

But even that is not the issue.

The real issue is that a vast majority of Pakistanis, mostly young people, believe that he is going to bring change to the country. These are people who are genuinely disenchanted with the politics of our mainstream political parties. Again, whether they are justified in their disenchantment or not is not the issue — that they are disillusioned is. And the mainstream political parties clearly need to understand why this is the case, and work to addressing these concerns.

As for the establishment, it is in all likelihood going to be quite happy with what happened on October 30. It knows Khan or his party is not a challenge to the status quo as far as the military is concerned. After all, at the rally, the PTI chief did not say anything about corruption in the military or about reducing the perks and privileges of senior military officers.

So even if he is elected and his party gains a significant number of seats and makes it to parliament, the real decision-making, as far as important policy decisions are concerned, will continue to remain with the establishment. So, in a sense, the PTI rally should be seen by the mainstream political parties as a wakeup call. They need to get their act together and realise that they need to do what they can to strengthen democracy because the alternative could be far worse. The success of one rally should not mean that the PTI’s popularity will now be a game-changer as far as national politics is concerned. Unless it gets similar crowds in other provinces, it will remain a player at the level of a spoiler.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2011.]]>
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			<title>The future remains unlimned</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/286094/the-future-remains-unlimned</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/286094/the-future-remains-unlimned#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 01 Nov 11 16:26:25 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Ejaz Haider]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[My fear is that Khan's supporters expect too much and expectations have a horrible way of ignoring reality, go sour.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Friend Feisal Naqvi has written a vintage Feisal on Imran Khan’s Lahore rally, clear and well argued. I agree with his argument — for the most part. People need hope; they have had too much of the ‘ick’ factor. I also agree, going by Feisal’s argument, that one should have the right to hope even when one knows that reality is always lurking in the shadows, ready to strike.

Jack Gilbert captured this brilliantly in his poem “Failing and Flying”: “I believe Icarus was not failing as he fell,/but just coming to the end of his triumph”.

Politics is a banal affair, its initial romance, if there be any, notwithstanding. It’s the end of the triumph that I am interested in. Does it bring in the ‘ick’ factor or the sedateness of habit that is underwritten by long years of companionship and the security of the known? There’s a difference between the two. The ‘ick’ factor one is forced to live with because the cycle cannot be broken; habit one sinks into because one’s existence is marked by regularity, a system that must take care of the mediocre side of our lives. And even Ulysses is not always fighting Cyclops, and must get his cup of tea and a clean loo.

Democracy is nothing if not about systems that make average lives worth living. That is the domain of public policy, ranging from trite things as having sidewalks, decent public transport and security of life and property to more complex areas like foreign and economic policies.

If the existing political entities like the Pakistan Peoples Party and the two Muslim Leagues — Q and N — had managed to address the averageness that makes and marks democracy, Khan could not have gathered a whopper crowd at Minto Park. Democracy is not about cordon bleu, it is about chapati and a standard menu provided reliably.

Khan has kicked off well. It is too early to say whether this rally connotes a groundswell in his favour, just as it is too early to say if this rally does manifest a groundswell that he would be able to translate it into enough votes or that enough votes, given the first-past-the-post system, would actually result in enough seats. There remain too many ‘ifs’.

That is the domain of mathematical models and statistics, to try and get a sense of how the Khan phenomenon might unfold. That study would need data sets on different variables. While some experts in Pakistan have done qualitative analyses of past electoral exercises and election rigging, I am not aware of any quantitative studies or models that could be applied to determine with some degree of accuracy the chances for Khan and his PTI.

What he may or may not be able to do is, thus far, a matter of conjecture. The PPP, N, Q and the MQM have reasons to attack Khan. Their representatives have already told us that rallies do not necessarily translate into votes and seats, that constituency politics is a whole lot different from the romance witnessed at Minto Park. Perhaps; perhaps not.

It may be useful to see Khan’s popularity among the youth, the largest cohort in the population at about 61 per cent, both men and women. To determine what percentage of this cohort is 18 years and above, how many of them live in urban centres, how those numbers are spread over different urban constituencies and what percentage of those votes the PTI could likely pick up. Additionally, it would be useful to determine, on the basis of new voters lists, to see the numbers added that do not form part of the traditional vote-bank of existing parties. This chunk of voters in the urban centres, if it is sizeable, could well make a difference in various constituencies.

In fact, it would be an interesting exercise to carry out in some constituencies and to extrapolate from those results. But this is an exercise for psephologists. Out in the street it is about the current romance that Feisal Naqvi spoke about, hope being the operative word.

But let’s look at it from another perspective, one that would be terribly unpopular with the dreamers and the hopers and those choosing to comment here. Assume he wins not just many seats but enough seats to form government. How will he fare where others have failed? Will he understand that he has just moved from the high tide of passion to a 9 to 5 job with a wife, kids and perhaps many nagging in-laws? That the political history of mankind is replete with men of vision getting it all wrong not because they didn’t want to do anything but that they wanted to do too much, too soon? That policymaking forms the backbone of actual governance, brick-by-brick building which is unsexy and has nothing to do with the orgasmic throes of a ‘revolution’, what the French call la petite mort?

My fear is that his supporters are expecting too much and expectations have a horrible way of ignoring reality and going sour. If Khan can work the balance and make his supporters understand the difference between ‘wish’ and ‘is’ assumptions, he can be a winner.

Meanwhile, here’s to him and his party, a stanza from Seamus Heaney’s “Blackberry Picking”:

“... Once off the bush

The fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.

I always felt like crying. It wasn’t fair

That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.

Each year I hoped they’d keep, knew they would not”.

The right balance, then, is about hoping that the blackberries won’t rot but knowing that they would. Between this hope and this knowledge lies the space for action. Therein also lies Khan’s challenge.

Finally, even if it were too early for Khan to get into the driver’s seat, if he could mobilise enough people, that could put the desired pressure on the existing principals to make themselves useful and reduce the ‘ick’ factor. Both ways, Khan is being useful and we should welcome him!

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2011. ]]>
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			<title>PTI holds rallies on directions of establishment: Sanaullah</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/286041/pti-holds-rallies-on-directions-of-establishment-sanaullah</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/286041/pti-holds-rallies-on-directions-of-establishment-sanaullah#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 01 Nov 11 11:32:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[express]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=286041</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Sanaullah says PML-N is ready to hold talks with PTI on a one point agenda – removing the current government.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah alleged that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan is holding sit-ins and rallies on the directions of the establishment, Express 24/7 reported Tuesday.

Sanaullah made the claim while speaking to the media after addressing traders in a meeting in Faisalabad.

(Read: Intelligence agencies at PTI rally fight over turnout)

Responding to a question regarding Khan’s demand for politicians to declare their “actual” assets, he said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members have already done so.

While not dismissing reconciliation with their new rivals in the province, he said that the PML-N is ready to hold talks on a one point agenda – of removing the government and eradicating corruption – with PTI and other parties including Jamaat-i-Islami.

He also said that the PML-N may launch a long march after Eid, building upon their "Go Zardari go" anti-government protest.

(Read: PTI rally: Students exceed ISF expectations)

He informed the media that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif will hold a historical public gathering in Faisalabad on November 20.

Earlier, Khan said that he could consider entering into a dialogue with PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif if he declared his complete assets.

(Read: The after-party: PML-N, PTI - the suggestive rhetoric begins)

The statements by both parties indicate accelerating intrigue in Pakistan politics – particularly in its largest province, the Punjab.]]>
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			<title>Whose rally was bigger: The politics of crowd-counting</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/285883/whose-rally-was-bigger-the-politics-of-crowd-counting</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/285883/whose-rally-was-bigger-the-politics-of-crowd-counting#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 01 Nov 11 04:12:25 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[asad.kharal]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=285883</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Provincial agencies pronounce PML-N the winner, federal officials say PTI had the bigger crowd.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Who had the bigger rally this past weekend: Punjab’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or the surging Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf? The answer varies widely depending on who you ask – and, of course, who the counters are reporting to.


Even though they come up with varying estimates, provincial law enforcement and intelligence agencies – answerable, it ought to be mentioned, ultimately to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif – say that the PML-N narrowly beat out the PTI in terms of crowd count. Federal government agencies – under the supervision of the PML-N’s rival Pakistan Peoples Party – say that the PTI rally comfortably outdid the PML-N rally.

The Special Branch of the Punjab Police estimated that the PTI rally on Sunday attracted between 40,000 and 45,000 people, while the PML-N rally on Friday attracted between 45,000 and 50,000. Provincial government figures suggest that about half of the PTI rally’s attendees were from Lahore while the remaining were from the rest of Punjab and even Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas.

The devil, however, lies in the details. The Punjab police report claims, somewhat astonishingly, that as of 4:14 pm on Friday there were only about 3,000 people at the PML-N rally venue, a number that somehow swelled to just fewer than 50,000 over the next hour and a half.

By contrast, the Special Branch also admits that there were around 8,000 people by 3:15 pm at the PTI rally on Sunday, a number that they then claim rose much more slowly to less than 45,000 by 6 pm.

The numbers from the federal government’s agencies, on the other hand, could not be more different. The Intelligence Bureau – the only agency directly answerable to the civilian government in Islamabad – estimates that the PML-N’s crowd was between 20,000 and 22,000 people while the PTI’s crowd may have been as high as 60,000. The IB also estimates that, if the number of people unable to reach the venue due to traffic are counted, the total number of attendees at the PTI rally may well approach 100,000.

Federal agencies seemed to agree that the bulk of attendees at the PML-N rally came from outside Lahore, putting the proportion of Lahoris attending the Shahbaz Sharif speech at between 20% and 25%.

Both federal and provincial intelligence and law enforcement agencies seem to have made elaborate preparations for monitoring both rallies, and seem to have paid much attention to estimating crowd sizes, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Field staffers were deployed by the Punjab Police Special Branch and Security Branch, the Inter-Services Intelligence, the Intelligence Bureau and Military Intelligence. Agents sent reports every few minutes with details such as the number and types of vehicles, the names and designations of those who led the convoys, the point of origin of every vehicle, their time of departure, etc.

Messages were then relayed from field agents by telephone and text messages to operational leaders in Lahore, who then forwarded reports by fax as well as special messenger to their respective senior officials.

One method that was a favourite of all agencies in estimating the number of people was how much area the crowd covered, and then multiplying that number with an estimate of density, calculated through the use of photographs and videos of the crowd, according to a senior intelligence official who was involved in covering both events. Other methods used include deriving estimates from the numbers of vehicles that drove to the venue.

“Agencies have to be very careful about making assessments of the numerical strength of the crowds because we have to justify [our estimates] through facts and figures,” he said, requesting not to be identified.

However, an official from another agency, who has extensive experience in monitoring crowds, said that agencies frequently exaggerate or revise downwards the numbers of the crowds they cover for political reasons.

“Civil servants responsible for [producing estimates] cannot afford the displeasure of their political masters who have no stomach to digest the truth,” he said.

In any case, the numbers suggest that the minnows, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf seem to have, even in the worst case scenario, matched the behemoth PML-N.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2011. ]]>
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			<title>The rise of Imran Khan</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/285582/the-rise-of-imran-khan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/285582/the-rise-of-imran-khan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 31 Oct 11 16:47:05 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=285582</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[It will be fair to say that the PTI chief has now arrived as a political force to be reckoned with.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Many Pakistanis have either lived through or grew up listening to stories of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his electrifying rallies as he spearheaded the first grassroots political movement in the country’s history. A movement that, like Imran Khan’s, if one goes by what he said in Lahore on October 30, wanted a change in the prevailing status quo. And while comparisons between the two are perhaps premature (some people in the blogosphere and on Twitter were already wondering whether another Bhutto has been born) no one can deny that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader has quite substantially shaken the country’s political landscape with his massive rally in Lahore. Not only was he able to easily beat the numbers that the far more established PML-N was able to bring out at their own rally, with conservative estimates putting 75,000 people or more at the PTI rally, he did so with those who are normally not associated with the political process, those who have become disaffected with the mainstream parties and are tiring of what they see as elected governments whose leaders enrich only themselves and provide no semblance of good governance.

Whatever disagreements one may have with Imran Khan’s ideology or views, one can no longer dismiss Khan and his party as something of an irritant on the national political scene. From now on till the next election is held, he will have to be taken seriously and his party’s electoral fortunes will most probably be far better than they have been in the past — the best being when Mr Khan himself won a seat to the National Assembly from Mianwali in the 2002 elections. It will be fair to say that the PTI chief has now arrived as a political force to be reckoned with. The massive turnout at his party’s rally could, in all likelihood, garner it even more support, given that many voters who sit on the fence and are disillusioned with mainstream parties such as the PPP and the PML-N would have wanted to first wait and see what kind of support Imran Khan would get in his first major rally before throwing in their weight behind him.

So the coming weeks and months could well see some significant defections from some of the bigger parties. The most immediate threat is going to be felt by the PML-N, since the PTI managed to get far more people at its rally compared to the party of the Sharifs, and that too in the latter’s stronghold of Lahore. One would have to see how the ruling party in Punjab responds, but if the provincial law minister is a man of his word he may well have to relinquish his post, since he had said that if the PTI rally attracted more than 50,000 people, he would resign. Other than that, and perhaps it’s a bit early, it remains to be seen how the PML-N responds. The initial reaction has been one of confusion, with senior party leaders clearly put on the defensive by the PTI’s rally and trying to justify their own rally of two days earlier so that the parties now seem to have the same objective: that of ousting the PPP from power.

That said, it is important not to confuse approval of the youthful energy for change that Imran is tapping into with support for his agenda. For one, it is hard to claim to be an agent for complete change when tired has-beens share the same stage as you — many former legislators with not-so-good reputations have joined the PTI in recent weeks. This is a contradiction Imran may never be able to reconcile, especially given his ‘in-100-days-I-will-rid-this-country-of-corruption’ agenda. His only route to power is by playing the same grubby political game as everyone else and making alliances that force you to hold your nose, while at the same time his appeal is based on the fact that he promises to consign the prevailing political forces to the dustbin of history. And it also remains to be seen how many seats his party actually wins since to become prime minister, which surely would be his objective (and the dream of his passionate supporters) after October 30, a party needs to have dozens of candidates capable of winning seats on their own.

Imran’s full-throated declaration that the Baloch will be treated like friends and not colonised was a very welcome sentiment, all the more so given how much speculation there has been that Imran’s recent ascent was the result of support from the establishment. Distancing himself from the army’s Balochistan policy is a good first move for someone who wants to highlight his independence and integrity. Imran also reiterated his support for women and minorities which, when coupled with the fact that he was one of the rare politicians to condemn the murder of Salmaan Taseer, should be viewed with optimism not cynicism.

But those who believe Imran is hopelessly naive would also have felt vindicated after hearing portions of his speech. His stance on the Taliban, although not rising to the level of outright support, is nonetheless very dangerous. He pledged never to use the army to carry out military operations against its own people, and that tribal elders would be able to eliminate the scourge of terrorism if the problem is left to them to deal with. Leave aside the fact that even a personality as strong and charismatic as Imran will never be able to get the army to bend to his will, just the fact that he doesn’t recognise that the Taliban and affiliated groups have spread their tentacles outside of Fata to the rest of the country is reason enough to doubt his judgement. Imran also seems to believe that the singular, transformative act of voting him into power will lead to an immediate end to corruption and that the absence of corruption alone will strengthen our economy to such an extent that there will be no need for us to ask for any foreign aid. Political maturity is a twin process and along with a vote bank Imran Khan will also need to develop a coherent agenda.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 01st, 2011. ]]>
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			<title>The morning after the night before</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/285594/the-morning-after-the-night-before</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/285594/the-morning-after-the-night-before#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 31 Oct 11 16:41:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[feisal.naqvi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=285594</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[What I can say is that PTI’s rally marked the first time for me when I took the PTI as a serious political.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Falling for a political party is not all that different from selecting a mate. It can be a passionate affair, full of sound and fury. Or it can be a more sedate, more calculated affair in which one weighs up the pros and cons of matrimony with someone whose features may not excite the heart, but whose dowry (or financial health) offers a comfortable future.

Prior to the tempestuous arrival of Imran Khan on the scene, the three candidates on the Punjab scene (the PPP, the N and the Q) represented only varieties of the second approach. True, each of the three offered a different mixture of ideology, corruptibility and administrative (in)competence. But at the same time, all three were not just known quantities but tried, tested and failed quantities.

The prospect of voting for any of the three established parties therefore did not cause any flutters in peoples’ hearts. If anything, the reaction of the voting public was simply ‘ick’. And as a consequence of the ‘ick’ factor, a frighteningly large number of Pakistanis had simply written off the prospect of a happy political future altogether, preferring instead to wallow in apathy or to grimly ignore their daily diet of corruption and incompetence.

Sunday’s show of strength by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), however, altered this picture in two very important ways.

To begin with the obvious, the emergence of Imran Khan has — after a long time — injected some much-needed romance into the wooing of the electorate. People who had given up hope of ever seeing reform or movement in Pakistan’s calcified power structure are now, after many years, beginning to believe again in the prospect of a better future, in the possibility of hope.

The problem with romantic, hopeful dreams though is that they tend to get dashed by reality. For example, the stormy young poet hoping to take the world by storm with his revolutionary verse tends to present a considerably less appetising marital prospect after a decade of hardship than in the days when the future was still unlimned.

Similarly, the problem with Imran Khan the revolutionary leader was not just that he represented the romantic option but that he seemed to represent the hopelessly romantic option. And so, while the youth of this country swooned over him, others shook their heads and said that he had no chance. I confess that I was one of those shaking their heads.

It is in that context that Sunday’s rally represents a quantum shift. Anybody who can gather 100,000 people in Lahore is no longer a flake or a fluke: instead, that person represents real political power in its most elemental form, which is the ability to bring people out of their homes. Imran Khan always had the style to be a people’s leader. What has changed now is that he appears to have the substance as well. Or to continue the matrimonial analogy, he offers not just romance but the prospect of a steady job too.

Let me not get too carried away though. Notwithstanding the euphoria of Sunday’s rally, there is still a long way to go. I have no crystal ball with which to predict the future and I cannot say whether the PTI will win five seats or 50. Instead, what I can say is that PTI’s rally marked the first time for me when I took the PTI as a serious political contender. And I don’t think I’m the only one.

At the same time, being able to pull 100,000 people to a rally is a hell of a good start but it doesn’t guarantee a damn thing. If the PTI is to win seats in the upcoming elections, it will have to conduct a constituency by constituency analysis to find acceptable candidates. And within each constituency, its candidate will have to go door to door to negotiate with biraderi groups and, in essence, outbid them for their votes.

Again, it is in this context that PTI’s rally was so important. The ordinary voter prefers to be wooed but, more importantly, the ordinary voter wants to make damn sure that his vote counts. Thus, while I do mind if my chosen candidate loses, what I mind more is if my chosen candidate is not even a plausible option. To put it another way, I have no interest in symbolic protest votes: I want my vote to make a difference.

What the rally taught me is that a vote for Imran Khan is not going to be a wasted vote. His candidates may or may not win any seats. But they are unlikely to be embarrassed at the polling booth either. And so, for the first time, Imran Khan has credibility in my eyes.

Note, credibility does not mean that the PTI can bank on my vote. I still find the PTI to be hopelessly confused in its policies. And I also have deep reservations about Imran Khan’s fondness for negotiating with the Taliban. In other words, I may be interested but I’m not sold yet.

The point I’m trying to make though is not about my choice as a voter but a more general one about the importance of hope.

Pakistan is not a complete disaster but it often feels like one because of the sense of despondency we live with, the sense that no matter what we do, the future will be no better. What hope does is that it breaks the vicious circle by means of which apathy produces more apathy. What hope does is that it gives people other than complete cynics a reason to be in politics. What hope does is that it makes a better future more likely.

I don’t know if Imran Khan and his followers will succeed in their quest for political power. What I do know is that I now have a certain hope in the politics of this country that I did not have earlier. What I also know is that there are a lot of people out there like me. And for that, if nothing else, Imran Khan deserves all the praise he gets.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2011. ]]>
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			<title>Kaptaan comes of age</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/285583/kaptaan-comes-of-age</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/285583/kaptaan-comes-of-age#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 31 Oct 11 16:00:41 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[zarrar.khuhro]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=285583</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[I saw a leader who had come of age, had a message that was current and crisp and spoke of hope for the future.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Do you hear that screeching sound? It’s the sound of countless columnists and analysts applying the handbrakes in a desperate attempt to pull a 180 degree turn on Imran Khan. Recycle bins across the country are full to bursting with trashed columns, replete with self-satisfied prose about why the Imran Khan rally failed. It didn’t fail, of course, and not since the Library at Alexandria burned has so much writing disappeared from existence. Others are going to go for the ‘Yes, but…’ option, bravely explaining why the Lahore rally really doesn’t change anything. I’d do the same but sadly my creative writing skills just aren’t that good and I don’t like the taste of humble pie.

Imran’s been criticised for being arrogant, but humility isn’t exactly a leadership trait. Go through the list of leaders — both local and global — and you’ll hardly find them to be self-effacing types. Gandhi is an exception of course, but it can be argued that humility was in fact his greatest arrogance. Imran’s also accused of being a one-man show and a cult personality but again, the same can be said of any leader. The PPP of old didn’t win because people were impressed by the crack team they had put together or were wowed by their wonderfully written manifesto. They won because of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s spellbinding personality. It is that personality, and the cult it engendered, that ensured his daughter’s election and on which the current rulers still rely for their support. Obama didn’t win because the Democrats’ platform was so much superior to the Republicans’, but because something in Obama himself appealed to voters. And, of course, the fact that his predecessor was a blithering idiot — a parallel that applies in Pakistan as well — also helped.

As for the accusation that Imran is being backed by the establishment and is in effect a proxy of the deep state, let’s face the fact that, first of all, the ‘establishment’, contrary to popular belief, is not all powerful and the crowd at Minar-e-Pakistan really didn’t look like undercover spooks to me. Secondly, just about every single politician in Pakistan has been accused of being an establishment proxy or agent or, as the supremely overused phrase goes, a product of dictatorship. As for his programme, that was neatly laid out in the speech. If you were expecting a PowerPoint presentation, then go back to business school.

Then there is the contradictory complaint that he has no real ‘mainstream’ politicians on his side. I say ‘contradictory’ because the same columnists routinely castigate those very politicians for ruining the country. And enough already with the Zohair Toru jokes. At least the lad got out of the armchair favoured by so many analysts and onto the street. If he was guilty of anything, it’s idealism, and it’s idealism, not cynicism, that ultimately changes the fate of nations.

What I saw was a leader who had come of age, who had a message that was current and crisp and spoke not of the accusations of the past, but of hope for the future. Azaan breaks and rock music coexisted peacefully on the same stage and the crowd was disciplined and spontaneous without the need for commissars or professional sloganeers. Contrast that with MQM and PML-N rallies. The MQM crowd, devoted supporters all, had the look of people who have sat down to watch a favourite movie for the hundredth time. The PML-N also seemed hopelessly behind the times. No disrespect to Jalib, who is undoubtedly one of the greatest revolutionary poets of our times, but his words aren’t exactly going to resonate with the youth of today. They love their poems of protest as well, but they want to hear them from Shehzad Roy, not Shahbaz Sharif.

I must confess that I thought choosing a venue like the Minar-e-Pakistan was a massive miscalculation and was all set to write something clever about how dismal the rally was. I stand corrected. Oh and Senator Rashid, I’m still waiting for your resignation.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 01st, 2011. ]]>
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			<title>A ‘tsunami’ in Lahore (IV)</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/285606/a-%e2%80%98tsunami%e2%80%99-in-lahore-iv</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/285606/a-%e2%80%98tsunami%e2%80%99-in-lahore-iv#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 31 Oct 11 15:01:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[letter.]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=285606</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The rally by the PTI was a great sight to see and the speech by Imran Khan was impressive.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The rally by the PTI was a great sight to see and the speech by Imran Khan was impressive. But rhetoric is not the only thing that this country needs and by themselves they will not bring any change. Imran Khan needs to work really hard if he is to prove himself in terms of fulfilling all the promises and pledges that he is making. Also, many people now will have high expectations of him, and he will need to come up to them.

That said, I think many people are now with him and praying for his success.

Safoora Nazeer

Published in The Express Tribune, November 01st, 2011. ]]>
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