PTI will not join protests organised by any other political party or alliance.
LAHORE: This is with reference to the news item “Show of unity: PTI leaders attend DPC and JUD protests” (July 7). The news item gave the impression that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) participated in the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC) protest in Multan against the reopening of the Nato supply routes. The PTI leadership has clearly spelt out that the party will not join protests organised by any other political party or alliance and will follow its own independent schedule of protests. A rally was held according to schedule in Gujranwala on July 5, which will be followed by a protest rally in Peshawar on July 14.
It is abundantly clear that the PTI has not joined protests organised by other political parties or alliances. The fact that certain members of the party attended a protest organised by the DPC does not automatically qualify as the PTI’s participation in such protests. The party’s membership has swelled to over five million according to some estimates and participation by any of the members should not be misconstrued as its involvement in such protests. The PTI does not need to forge any alliances for public mobilisation as it has held successful political rallies all over the country on its own. The party will follow its own course of action in accordance with its political ideology and principled stance.
J Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, July 11th, 2012.
