Defence Day rally: Show will go on, asserts PTI

Party has been denied permission to hold public meeting at Nishtar Park

KARACHI: Despite being denied permission to hold a public meeting at Nishtar Park, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Sindh president Arif Alvi has expressed to go ahead with the rally, come what may.

Alvi, along with Karachi president Firdous Shamim Naqvi, was talking to the media at Insaf House on Friday when he said that the ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ public meeting is going to take place as per plan on September 6, the country’s Defence Day.



While mentioning the ‘excuse’ given by the Sindh government, he said “we are surprised to hear that we cannot hold this public gathering as per the National Action Plan.” He added that regardless of any obstacle, the workers of PTI will reach the venue holding national flags to express solidarity with the country and give a befitting reply to those chanting slogans against the country.

The PTI leader mentioned that they are planning to hold a peaceful rally and do not belong to a party that has militant wings but still they have been denied permission to exercise their democratic right.

Mentioning the preparations of the rally, Naqvi said they have established camps throughout the city, while small rallies are being taken out already and party delegations are also visiting different towns to invite people to the gathering regardless of their cast and creed. “This rally will prove that the citizens of Karachi are patriotic people and can go to any limit for their country,” he said.

The party’s deputy secretary general, Imran Ismail, told The Express Tribune that that their public meeting is for a positive cause and they are sure they will get permission for it.



Ismail said that the reason for holding the meeting is to bring out the positive image of the citizens of Karachi and prove how much love they have for their country.

“We have asked citizens to bring national flags with them and to come along with their families to give a befitting response to the ‘anti-Pakistan forces’,” he said.

Ismail also said that the entire central leadership of the party, including party chief Imran Khan, will be part of the public meeting and also address the gathering.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2016.