Hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) supporters joined a rally on Friday to show support for the party’s November 30 rally in Islamabad.
More than a hundred motorcycles and cars were part of the rally that started from Liberty Roundabout and concluded on The Mall where a large number of policemen had been deployed to ensure order.
PTI chairman Imran Khan has twice visited the city this week to meet his supporters ahead of the public meeting in Islamabad.
On Thursday, he had asked them to reach Islamabad saying that he knew that police had been arresting PTI workers across the province.
A camp the party had set up at Liberty Roundabout on Thursday to register participants of the November 30 rally remained in place on Friday.
PTI office-bearers and supporters carried party flags and chanted “Go Nawaz Go”. Traffic in the area remained slow due to the rally.
“The government has been harassing us through police raids,” said Bazam Zeeshan, one of the participants of the rally.
“We are determined to make our way to Islamabad. We are not scared. But yes, we are concerned about how to make it to Islamabad if the government blocks the roads leading to the capital.”
The rally was scheduled to leave for The Mall after Friday prayers. However, it left Liberty Roundabout at 4pm.
“Police raids on workers’ homes had worried us a bit. Despite this, more than 150 vehicles are participating in the rally. Instead of scaring us, the police action has helped strengthen our resolve,” MPA Murad Raas, who was leading the rally, told The Express Tribune.
“I was among the first people to arrive at Liberty Roundabout.
Only police had arrived by then,” he said.
The PTI convoy reached Charing Cross at around 6pm.
PTI leader Waleed Iqbal said the party had arranged the rally to encourage people to reach Islamabad on November 30. “We wanted to motivate our supporters through this show.”
Iqbal said more than 500 people were part of the rally that ended in front of the Punjab Assembly.
“Those who could not make it to Islamabad on August 14 seem more determined to reach the capital on Sunday. We are expecting thousands of people from Lahore to join the sit-in in Islamabad,” he said.
The PTI has designated three points for its supporters to gather on Sunday inside. These are Shahdara, Gaddafi Stadium and Niaz Beg.
PTI supporters have been asked to reach these places by 8am on Sunday.
Punjab’s chapter president Ejaz Chaudhry says he will be leading the rally via GT Road.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2014.
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