ISLAMABAD:
Preparations for the ‘Azadi March’ scheduled for August 14 continue at full steam as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf reiterated that time for negotiations with the government is over.
PTI chairman Imran Khan has disclosed that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has sent him several messages requesting talks. “Now there will be no negotiation or a deal with the government,” Imran said in a television interview. “We don’t accept a government that came to power through rigging.” He added, “I am ready to even receive a bullet for the sake of genuine democracy.”
PTI’s Secretary Information Shireen Mazari also said that “it’s too late to settle our issues through negotiation”. This came hours after senior member of the federal cabinet, Khawaja Saad Rafique, said that the government was willing to negotiate with both Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri.
She said that by invoking Article 245 in Islamabad, the prime minister seeks protection from the army. “The army will never back such a person who is against the interest of the people,” Mazari said. “We have been knocking at every door for justice for the last 14 months, but it has been in vain,” she added. “The final decision will be made at D-Chowk on the 14th.”
The party expects roughly one million people from across the country to join the Azadi March. Party organisational units, student and youth wings have been tasked with mobilising supporters, sources said. Additionally, the party expects supporters of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Pakistan Muslim League-Q and Awami Muslim League on the day.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 2nd, 2014.
COMMENTS (9)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Muslim Leaguer, enough of that rubbish! Taliban gets support from Raw, everyone knows that.
Quite mysteriously the Taliban Khan still insists that the Government should do Dialogue with the Taliban and on the other hand doesn't want to do dialogue with the Government of Pakistan. He definitely needs to move to the "Emirate of Taliban" to live the rest of his life with his fellows without causing further harm to Pakistan.
And IK continues to see wisdom and maturity as his enemies
@True patriot:
Unfortunately that world isn't Lala Land wherein reside most of y'all and of which IK is the Prime Minister for life. Just get out of Facebook for a change and you'd feel the difference of breathing in and feeling the tangible world.
Pakistan's current political conditions are moving towards more political crises and internal insecurity and in the these severe conditions either army has to take over or mid-term elections have to be announced to avoid more crises because PML-N has been badly failed to deliver the nation its commitments and facilities promised during the elections' campaign.....
@Adnan Siddiqi: Seems you are living in another world my friend be honest to yourself and see how good it feels
King of Saudi Arabia can donate diapers for Nawaz Badmash and gang of thieves.
I doubted that a person who cannot even acknowledge his own flesh and blood, would take a bullet for anything or anyone. A person whose sole support is TUQ, Sheeda and Chaudhries is doomed to fail spectacularly. Just ask Musharraf.
Matter of principle should be that PTI dissolves its government in KPK and resign from NA, Punjab and Sindh Assemblies. IK, his parliamentarians and his KPK government itself is a product of dhandhli and rigging.