Islamabad lockdown: With PML-Q on its side, PTI hopes to win over PAT

Qureshi says every citizen is welcome to join sit-in

SUKKUR/ ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Saturday won ‘unconditional support’ of the PML-Q for its Nov 2 sit-in in the federal capital. Together the two parties decided to approach the Pakistan Awami Tehreek of Dr Tahirul Qadri, which, a PTI leader said, is likely to join the protest.

The leadership of PML-Q and PAT had distanced themselves from the PTI after voicing reservations over its plan to hold a rally near the family residence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Raiwind on September 23 as part of its accountability movement.



However, a PML-Q delegation during a meeting with PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi announced its support for the Nov 2 ‘Islamabad lockdown’. The PML-Q delegation was led by party’s Punjab President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

“It has been decided that besides the PTI, the PML-Q will also contact PAT chief Tahirul Qadri to get him on board on the protest movement,” said senior PML-Q leader Ajmal Khan Wazir, who was part of the PML-Q delegation.

He said the PTI and the PML-Q were of the opinion that genuine concerns and reservations of PAT should addressed and it should be persuaded to join the like-minded parties.

However, Qureshi said that joining the protest movement would solely be a decision of political parties and their leaderships and that they would not be forced to join hands with the PTI.

“The PTI is only relying on its activists and common citizens who have been affected by the prevailing corrupt system in the country,” Qureshi said, adding that even the PML-Q had not been asked to support the PTI and that it was their own decision to be a part of the protest.



However, Qureshi quickly thanked the PML-Q leadership on behalf of the PTI.

“The PTI will not force any political or religious party. We don’t want to put any political party in an embarrassing situation by inviting them to our protest,” he added.  “The PTI is open and anyone can join them unconditionally.”

After meeting with Qureshi, the PML-Q held an internal party meeting to work out level of participation in PTI’s protest. “It will not be limited to verbal support,” a senior PML-Q leader said.

During internal meeting, the PML-Q leadership decided that party activists from adjoining districts of twin cities would be mobilised and brought to the venue of protest on November 2.

The PML-Q will target districts including Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jehlum and Mandi Bahauddin where it still have some level of popularity.

Following the meeting, Elahi talked to media persons and said for the sake of internal interest all opposition parties should come on the same page to oust the incumbent corrupt regime.

He targeted Nawaz Sharif for maligning the country’s armed forces and for his alleged soft corner for the Modi government in India.

“The prevailing circumstances demand all patriotic Pakistanis and political parties to come forward and protect country and its institutions,” Elahi said, adding that PML-Q had principally decided that it would not play a role of silent spectator over the issues of government’s Kashmir policy and corruption.

The PTI might win over PAT, but the main opposition party, the PPP, is unlikely to lend Khan its support for the Nov 2 protest.

PPP stalwart Khursheed Shah said on Saturday that staging protest was a constitutional right of every political party but locking down a city was illegal.



“We consider staging a protest and a dharna a constitutional right but shutting down any city is illegal. We will see arrests being made on what basis,” Shah said while talking to media in Sukkur.

He said Khan did not know the art of politics and Sharif did not know how to run a country. “When the prime minister comes under pressure, he becomes amenable to all the demands of opposition,” he added.

He said democracy strengthened the country and if democracy was under threat then the PPP would be in the forefront for its protection.  “Threats are looming large on borders. The enemy is on the borders, and in this situation an internal war is not in favour of politicians at all,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2016.