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Countering PTI: Nawaz promises tit-for-tat rally at Minar-e-Pakistan
Nawaz says Lahore gathering will be the start of PML-N’s Long March to Islamabad.
Nawaz says Lahore gathering will be the start of PML-N’s Long March to Islamabad.
LAHORE:
The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) is seeking financial assistance from its overseas supporters as it furthers its anti-government movement across the country.
A high-level PML-N delegation led by the party’s overseas wing president Senator Ishaq Dar met with party president Nawaz Sharif at Raiwind on Friday to discuss the party’s scheduled public gatherings.
Sources said that some overseas party workers expressed displeasure over Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s large public gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan last month and asked Sharif to assemble a rally at the same place as a rejoinder to PTI supporters overseas.
Sources said that Nawaz has assured party members that he will hold a tit-for-tat rally at the same venue, however, it will take place after he has held rallies across the country. He said the Lahore gathering will be the start of the party’s Long March towards Islamabad.
During the meeting, Nawaz also shared details of the party’s strategy to topple the government. He recalled that PML-N earlier restored the judiciary with a Long March in 2009 and said his party will save the country from multiple crises through another such movement.
“The country has already been divided into two parts because of secret hands,” said Nawaz. He said that he considers politics to be “a sacred mission” and that he would not forego any sacrifice to save the country.
Sources told The Express Tribune that the party has sought financial help from its overseas supporters for its ongoing movement against the PPP-led coalition government. They said that the party’s other sources of income like those of local donors have shrunk and that the PML-N has asked its overseas wing to donate generously.
Sharif also presented details of the expenditures of their scheduled rallies in Pakistan, like the ones that will be held in Faisalabad and Gujranwala on November 20 and 24 respectively.
Additionally, he chalked out the plan for PML-N rallies in Bahawalpur, Multan and Rawalpindi. Later, he said he will visit the Hazara division of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and other areas and move to Balochistan to hold more rallies.
Sources revealed that Dar presented the estimated cost of each rally, which would vary between Rs15 million and Rs30 million each depending on the site of the gathering.
Furthermore, Sharif has called all party office bearers, MNAs and MPAs from the Faisalabad division tomorrow (Saturday) to Raiwind. In this meeting, Sharif plans to discuss how his party can make his rally successful in Faisalabad.
Party sources said Nawaz Sharif will resume his movement against the government through an important announcement in Faisalabad on November 20.
PML-N initiated this movement on October 19 from DG Khan. His younger brother Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has already addressed a rally in Lahore on October 28 where he lashed out at President Asif Ali Zardari.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th, 2011.
Reader Comments (82)
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PTI should stage a Long March towards Raiwind.
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if you want to topple the government simply resign from all your constituencies why are you portraying like you are realy making an effort you are just campaigning for next general elections
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This initiative is just a reaction to IKs rally. I pray that people support IK instead.
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Mr. Be ready to face shoes in Minar-e-Pakistan
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@Imran:
Awake up imran brigade raiwinind is not india lets join together for long march against corruption and together for the prosperity of pakistan
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we want no bullet proof glass and public at the distance, Get a Life! Recommend
Nawaz will hold a bigger rally in Lahore and prove what. His party has been running Punjab for over 3 years now – he will be judged on what they achieved in these 3 years. His policies and tactics represents the 90′s era mess that people want to get away from. Nawaz and company could get a few good lessons from reading ‘The Tipping Point’ by Malcolm Gladwell.
“There is only one thing stronger than all the armies of the world: and that is an idea whose time has come.” – Victor Hugo
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Zindabad..
LAhore is PML-N’s city..
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Imran Khan supporters are over exited..
let the elections come..and all will be clear :D
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How schoolish for PML n to say that!a tit 4 tat rally is funny.that why I favor PTI instead of PML n.why doesn’t nawaz say clearly that he wants to topple the government before the senate elections early coming year.their rival cum friends PPP are expected to win the senate in current standings
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Mian Nawaz Sharif Zindabad!
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There is no doubt that Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif can organize a much bigger rally than PTI at Minar-e-Pakistan as Lahore is Mian Sahib’s home town.
There is a lot of gossips going on after the PTI rally in Lahore that it is going to have a landslide victory in the entire country but at this moment of time, I don’t see such possibility as Mian Sahib is having a very strong position in the politics of Punjab.
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PML-N is the real force in LAhore..
Imran Khan supporters are ignoring ground realities ..
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PTI wont be able to win more than 5 NA seats or may b 7..
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We Lahoris truely Love Mian Sahab..Recommend
Shair of Lahore ..
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Rally, Rally and Rally. Mr. Nawaz Sharif, pls do some productive work…!!!
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@moeed:
What about IK he is also compaigning for election in his jalsa ang give 3 month time to government is IK is also playing friendly oppositionRecommend
Trust me PTI supporters are over exited..
i fear they wud disappoint a lot at the elections day ..
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Please spend the public money on public rather on rallies. People of punjab will judge you on your performance in the province in the next general elections not on how big rallies you organise.
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PTI is an idea whose time has come. PML(n) should accept the ground realities.
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@Naseer:
Not any more!!! PMLN city is Raiwind. Lahore belongs to PTI.
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@Yasin:
we dont support for any political party , we support for change
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@Salahuddin:
You certainly know the ground.
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@Haseeb:
A quantum leap, from 5 to 7??? How about if the reverse happens for the PMLN??
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@moeed:
@Imran:
Winning in E-election is different and in reality its different
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We are not supporting Politics at all now !! Only the Change !! Plus this is Lunacy on the face of it!! Pmn[n] is Rulling party why the hell they want to do these kind of jalsas??? lets resign from all the seats and than start doing these stunts!!
Please any one has logic of PML[N],PPP,MQM JALSAS????
They all are in Power and still doing this topi drama ..Not any more !!!
You all had your chances over and over …Not any more !
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Looks like PML-N has pumped some money on waging internet campaign. I see a lot of online supporters of PML-N here who were never present before IK rally. Not sure what they want to prove after being the rulers of Punjab for so long. When their governance couldn’t probe anything what will the rally prove?Recommend
is it necessary..? or you also want to stage a concert of Arif Lohar and Abrar Ul Haq at Minar-e-Pakistan?.. Yeh log iss quom ko inqelaabi marasi bana dain gay aik…
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An immature approach of a senior politician.Recommend
@QB: Brother i think some PATWARIS deputed to comment on the news and blogs.
Nobody can stop wave of change, PTI is the only hope. VOTE FOR CHANGE.
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Is it still a Long March if you drive from Lahore to Isloo? Mao must be turning in his grave.
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@kamran: Thanks, but no thanks!
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Let us see if PML (N) can gather more people than PTI in their second attempt, as they could not in the first. Personally i don’t feel that the PML (N) can challenge the popularity gained by PTI.
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@QB:
same as PTI PUMPED
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i dont get it he is willing to spend all this money on these rallies y not use that money for betterment of his countryRecommend
Imran Khan Zindabad!
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So where does PTI stand with so many Net Warriors .Recommend
Plan to hold tit for tat rally at Minar-i-Pakistan shows how worried the League is. Understandably so. Recommend
I am not a PMLN fan and have been critical about Nawaz Sharif’s politics of stubborness and confrontation, but I fail to undrstand how Imran Khan will prove to be a better choice than him. Judging by track record, both have been arrogant stubborn and dictatorial personalities while Nawaz has the edge of being experienced in statesmanship and handling the establishment. Imran has only rhetoric to support his claims. Pakistani’s get obsessive with the chant of Change. It happened with ZAB in 70s, millions followed him and worshiped him the way IK is being worshipped, but did anything really change. The irony is that any politician who wants to have a fancy at the top slot, needs winning horses and they come with a price “loss of independence” and goes with the dream of change going down the drain. I sincerely believe, had IK and NS both worked together, Pakistan had a chance but opposing each other would only strenghten AZ. The smiles on PPP faces is not ithout a reason. The writing is on the wall, AZ has succeed in pitching NS and AZ against each other. Both will try hard to dislodge each other and in the end will award another term to PPP, with NS and IK getting 50 seats each.
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i m certain shehbaz shareef will force public employers to join his long march lest dismiss.
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That is a Passive Acclaim of Defeat Mian Sahib… It is to ratify that PTI has scared you! Donate the Millions, that you shall spend to Redeem your pride , to the poor of Sindh who really need this money…!
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looks like roles are reversing. pml-n getting more support on the net then on the ground! Even if Nawaz gathers double the people i can guarantee that the passion Will be half of what we saw in the pti jalsa. My only fear is that shabaz sharif Will start singing again….
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i guess they might conjure up as many people coz they r in power… i mean they will use all the provincial workforce available… coz warna they will be doomed :p Siri Paii ON HAIN :pRecommend
@Engr.Mohsin Raza:
Popularity and winning votes are two different things. Asghar Khan was very popular in NWFP for all his honesty and steadfastness, couldnt muster votes to win even a single seat. JI holds rallies with attendance close to 100,000 but have not been able to win a single seat from Lahore without alliance with PML N. Electoral poitics is a science mastered by these traditional political parties. You can safely say that this popularity will be converted in 20-30% of votes not more than that.
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@Ali:
How can PTI Bring change as its prevailing the politics of discrimination by saying “PATWARIES” .
How can PTI bring change when its leader leave in 300 kanal house its same living as other leaders are living
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Before the start of Shabaz Sharif government Punjab was financially very well off. Now it’s broke and has the highest debt among all provinces. As a chartered accountant, I know there is no better way to hide laundered money then to start a cash based scheme like sasti roti or benazir income support programme. Similarly using sugar mills is an excellant way of legalising laundered money which is why so many of our politicians own them. Recommend
@Salman Orangiwala:
Self financed and brimming with enthusiasm for a new Pakistan
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Sharif brother digging their own grave, I dare them to try to repeat the historic PTI rally in Minar e pakistan.
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people just want a tamasha, be it pml or PTI. Recommend
Mian Sb wait for your turn ( From PPP :p ),
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Mr. NS instead please improve governance in Punjab or organize a rally against bad governanace in Punjab – we will apprciate your effort in this regards.
Pakistan first.Recommend
Mr. Moderator what to get out comment published specially if your views are against the new blue eyed boy of establishment.. Its been for quite few times that if you comment against Mr.Khan it don’t gets published…
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PML-N is like JUI-F. Keen on statements, but no action, no resignations! Both want to enjoy the best of the both worlds.
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PML-N would call all Patwaris and Tehsildars and ghunday to their rallies, with paid people. Nawaz Sharif should accept that PTI is grabbing lahore.
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Can someone put sense into PML N overseas supporters to put their money for a better cause — putting it in PMNL-N-run schools, hospitals, rehabilitating flood victims, etc, instead of a one-time tit-for-tat rally!!!! What a waste!!!!
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If you want to topple the government, then simply resign…..why bother going for a long march….PML-N need fresh leadership.Recommend
hahaha insecure PMLN
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this is not cricket this is politics and here we have to manage 180m people not 12 players …imran khan is gathering the incompetent people of other parties and his slogan is change, how funny is this ….
anyone who is happy with army policies should support imran khan because he is the puppet of army Recommend
These hired pml n posters should put up or keep quiet, forget Lahore the whole of khyber and Punjab belongs to PTI and the momentum towards change and development
If ur nawaz could fill minar he would have held rally on a side street Recommend
OH yeah rite! Mr. nawaz its time to quit. Enough is a enough , you had your chance. You and your family ,leave Pakistan alone now.
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please don’t waste people time in such absurd & fake political stunts . . .!!!!! Recommend
Atleast we can get the idea from this article that PML(N) believes that the rally of Imran Khan was very large & successful. Mr.Pervez Rasheed , even your party accepts the reality now , Atleast now leave the Pakistani Politics, Please.
PML(N) calls Nawaz Sharif as “Takht-e-Lahore”, maybe they dont know the history of the World that whosoever has tried to be the King, or acted as a King ,has been defeated by the people, Maybe this is the end of “Takht-e-Lahore”.
Pakistan Zindabad
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Over excitement of PTI’s supporters will be over soon =D PML-N zindabad !
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Lahore is not with League anymore…Infact the whole Pakistan is with IK now..
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To all the PMLN supporters! Pakistan is in worst state already, Nawaz Sharif has been prime minisiter of Pakistan twice, can u guys tell me what has he done for Pakistan?! What has he done for the minorities? what has he done for the pakistani women? What has he done for the media freedom? what has he done for the economy improvement? NOTHING! PML-N doesn’t stands for democracy, remember when Junoon criticized Nawaz Sharif’s governement, Nawaz Sharif banned them!
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Mr. Sharif should also donate generously because Sharif Family is also included in overseas pakistanis having billions of $ stashed abroad..
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Just the KABADHI match started between PTI & PMLn . . .!!!!
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Status Quo is not giving up that easily … looks like they need additional treatment from people of PakistanRecommend
Nawaz Sharif a multi billionaire
The true strength of PMLN in lahore is about 30,000
PMLN will not spend million trying to buy more people to attend the rally and in a city full of poverty many people will atend
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Establishment and the government must both be laughing endlessly by successfully pitting previous blue eyed boys with the present blue eyed boys against each other. Anyhow people expect that the leadership of PML-N will sincerely declare their assets ( I doubt they won’t). In fact the over confidence and bad mouth has bought PML-N down to earth. I foresee a clear big hole and dent in the vote bank of PML-N which will go in the favor of combined candidates of PPP, PML-Q and some seats in the south Punjab for MQM. Yes, IK will also bag few seats but he should not expect to become PM of Pakistan due to his back door connections with Talibans and their supporters. Slowly and gradually people will realize the exact position and as such will only vote for progressive forces.
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Very bad ET, very bad. Your headline of this article is very ill-suited. What the article says, is totally different what you put in the heading. It is merely a cheap method of getting intention. Ethics, are you there anywhere?
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No need to stain minar-e-pakistan with our country’s dirty politics.
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all PTI supporters who came to the 30 oct rally; come to PMLN’s rally too……..with shoes
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In my humble opinion PML(N) should refrain from holding these rallies and long march in winter. First of all it will be very hard for N league to gather people in Moharram, because most of religious fanatics who support Mian Sahib will be busy in their real job. The security forces will also be engaged in law and order and it will be difficult for C.M. Mian Sahib to spare plane clothe policemen to fill chairs at Minar-e-Pakistan. Secondly weather in months of Dec. and Jan is very cold and foggy. The days are short and fog limits movement of people. Thirdly due to shortage of CNG in winter, the supporters of Mian Sahib who are mostly fat bellies. will find excuse not to attend rally.Recommend
PML-N just cant handle the shame of PTI embarrasing them with their huge Jalsa, give up Nawaz, its all over… better book your one way ticket to Saudi soon…..
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@Naseer:
Lahore belong to Lahoris and today’s Lahoris do not like baldys!!!….lolz..:D
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Why not dissolving Punjab govt and resigning from national assembly and then turn to street? We’re not stupid Mian Saab. I think hun tussi jan do te said wari aan do.
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Mian Sahib,you have missed the train.Now keep licking your wounds.But let people know “whose tit & whose tat “? PTI is a reality to be reckoned with.
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I have always read that leaders are proactive in their approach…Imran’s proactiveness in targeting Punjab and KPK is understandable but Nawaz’s reactive approach seems so uncharacteristic of such a seasoned politician…no wonder we have been ruled by such people for so long
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so here we go another rent a crowd rally is about to be held why don’t pmln understand when a chage is about to come under the flag of pti then no force is powerful enough to stop and please people wake up we have given all these politicians a chance its time to support a real hero now Recommend
Mia sb , your role is there but at present better silent .
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