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PTI rally: Imran strikes a chord with Gujranwala’s jobless youth
PTI leader urges unity as crowds give him rousing welcome.
PTI leader urges unity as crowds give him rousing welcome. PHOTO: FILE
GUJRANWALA:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan along with the party’s top brass converged in Gujranwala on Thursday for a rally that attracted a throng of supporters.
Hundreds of supporters assembled in Gondalanwala Chowk before PTI leaders arrived at the location, and thousands more flooded the Grand Trunk (GT) Road and the overhead bridge which led to the intersection.
“Let’s unite to solve the problems of this country,” Khan said from the makeshift platform on the back of a truck, to a surge of applause. “We’re going to take this tsunami all the way to Islamabad, and we need your support,” he said.
Khan was flanked by the party’s vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Information Secretary Shafqat Mahmood and President Javed Hashmi. A small contingent of female supporters also gathered near the stage.
While Khan spoke briefly, local politicians who preceded him roused the public by speaking against corruption and the soaring energy crisis. Members of the crowd carried placards supporting local PTI leaders and banners protesting electricity and gas load-shedding.
Many residents claimed the problem had worsened over the last year in the industrial hub, and forced massive manufacturing setups to grind to a halt. With over 35,000 workers laid off in Gujranwala’s ceramics industry alone as a result, Khan chose the right rallying cry for his party when he decided to protest load-shedding in Gujranwala.
“We’re unemployed because the government does not know how to handle the energy crisis,” said Kashif Mehmood, a factory worker who recently lost his job. “We’re going to vote for people who will fix this problem,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 6th, 2012.
Reader Comments (26)
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He is a failed politician. Always crying against PML(N). Nothing else.
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Yes We Khan :)
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If Imran Khan is elected where will he get jobs for the thousands of umemployed youth. He should tell them how is he going to create employment for them. All these politicians are good for is to fool the masses during election time.
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Imran can bring no change. he is running his party with the help of unwanted persons of other parties.
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Thank you Gujranwala for welcoming Imran Khan & PTI
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We’re going to take this tsunami all the way to Islamabad,
just look at his claim, can a destroyer build anything? He will be judged by his claim so just don’t let him take to you destruction. This what he is as he claims.
God safe Pakistan from this kind of so called leaders.
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He does make big claims only last 16, 17 years had not passed any test, failed and always misjudged to whom he should sport. With Mush he got one seat and was thinking to be PM?
and want to be next PM, even does not have single seat in parliament? What ? How, he has non cooperative, destructive behaver, and on this base he will build nation or country? he does not have the ability to negotiate as he can not think with cool mind. Watch all his appearance you can.
God safe Pakistan. We love pakistan.
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PTI all the way !
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@Mohd Butt – whats that which is so destructive in this statement. didnt we have marches towards islamabad before ? when PTI rallies it sets up a standard of discipline … but i can only feel sorry for u coz u hav, it appears, accepted ur fate !
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@Shamila Sadaf:
Nawaz Sharif is a huge flop. Got fooled so many times by Zardari over the past 4 years and still smelling his shoe.
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As the PPP said, we are here to take revenge, and they took so. The PTI is promissing they will bring TSUNAMI (Destructon in Japanese language) and they will bring.
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Imran Khan is a successful person. He done what he said. I am quite sure he will bring change to Pakistan & we will feel proud to be Pakistani.
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I don’t know whether Imran Khan will be able to solve all the problems or not. However, I’m certain he will 100% succeed in eradicating corruption and promoting education in the country.
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@Mohd Butt – Butt Sb you mean to say we should stick with people like Zardari, Nawaz and Altaf Hussain? Lets support IK and give Pakistan a chance.
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Good luck PTI and Imran Khan…
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Seeing anti-PTI post is like watching special olympics. Even if you churn out a special comment, its still doesnt make any sense.
PTI all the way!
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@Eyeing Propaganda:
Only God knows the fate, no one else can claim so, how insulting he talk about every one, and he will give you and or any one respect?
You are nice young peoples and he is using all of you, first tricking you to fund on the name of charity then vote me please. Don’t you see what game he is playing? God bless you and all of us.
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@Shahid:
Dear shahid sahib, kindly don’t mix them all, non of them had delivered to Pakistan like Nawaz did. We will not judge Nawaz but only on human Laval and you will find Nawaz is not insulting, arrogant but nice talking Pakistani, always put Pak intrest first, others hardly can claim that. Not claiming of Destruction or destroying any thing but building on the base we have.
Trust me you people are so nice and IK is using your niceness against you and in his favour.
Love you all. Don’t buy snake oil.
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One of the logical developments of PTI’s rise in Punjab is that people outside Lahore are beginning to question commitment of PMLN towards the rest of the province and Pakistan for the first time. PTI is about to give PMLN run for their money.
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@Butt, sorry i recomended your post accidently, did not mean to.
Nawaz put pakistan before everthing except himself, his faimly, and politicians in his party.
Nawaz and his family have made tons of money due to politics. he hardly pay any taxes, he has invested in foreign countries.
Can he explain how his son invested $600 million dollars in real stat in UK?
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History is in the making, i strongly believe IK will be among the top 10 leaders of this century.
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I thought gujranwala was mian saab domain … i guess not :)
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@Zahid:
I don’t know if you know any secessful businessman, well he is one of that. And if you know how many millionaire or billionaire are in Pakistan? He is one of them, do you know what business opportunities Pakistan have which all the governaments of Pakistan is trying to sell to international business community to come and invest and repatriate your investment.
Kindly visit any governament organization, you will come to know how massively they are sporting the investment. If law and order is controlled you will find Pak economy bigger and better than India. To be very secessful business in pakistan is very easy so you will find countless secessful stories in Pakistan.
They pay huge taxes directly and indirectly, however, if keep ignoring the fact, keep lying or blaming, then God help you, no me can.
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@Zahid:
Good lecturer become professor, good doctor become professor, good fighter become general, and good businessman will become millionaire it is very simple, if any cricket player from junior position can become world class cricket playing star, then why businessman can not progress if he have the same dedication and commitments to his profession? Loser find others secess unbelievable and dirty. secess seeker follow the secessful peoples and loser try to tarnish their secess. In IK case be the judge please.
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@Mohd Butt:
How do u intend to take on everyone of IK supporters when there are just few of you to support NS-I hope not by poll rigging!
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See if some one close eyes and says he can not see, then one can not make him see, few or a big lot, election will tell the truth, and what is it? If I not win then i must had cheated? So if you win only then it will be fair election? For God sake, think twice what slogan you follow, after all you are smart people. Or not?
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