Back-up plan: PTI maintains reserve force for ‘Plan B’

Half the local party leaders and workers will remain in Karachi

KARACHI: Planning to thwart the federal government's plan to prevent the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) protest from Karachi, a faction of the party has decided to stay in the city in preparation of initiating 'Plan B', while the rest have left for Islamabad.

Sharing his plan with The Express Tribune, PTI Karachi president Firdous Shamim Naqvi said that earlier, by holding a few rallies, they showed their party strength in the city and sent a message to the federal government to refrain from arresting party leaders and workers or be ready to face a 'lock-down' in Karachi. He added that along with him, general secretary of the party Sardar Aziz, Dawa Khan Sabir and all the district presidents have decided to stay back to handle the situation if things worsen.

Naqvi elaborated that if the federal government arrests party chairperson Imran Khan or other senior leaders, then the PTI in Karachi would close down the Karachi Port and Port Qasim in the first phase. He added that together with closing the ports, the party will also block the national and super highways, including the Hub River Road and other important thoroughfares of the city. Going one step further, Naqvi said that if the situation in Islamabad worsens, the party will not hesitate to close down Jinnah International Airport or Karachi's railway stations.

Sharing details about workers and leaders attending the November 2 protest in Islamabad, Naqvi said that prominent leaders, such as PTI's provincial president Arif Alvi, deputy secretary-general Imran Ismail, Karachi senior vice president Khurram Sher Zaman and Faisal Vawda, are representing Karachi at the Islamabad protest and a large number of supporters have left for the capital as well.

He added that every train that has left for Islamabad and even Lahore has carried over fifty PTI workers on it. Naqvi said that workers and supporters started to leave for Islamabad three to four days ago in small groups so that they could avoid being arrested when entering Punjab. He said while he is not sure about the exact number of workers, he knows many are en route to Islamabad.

The Express Tribune also learnt that workers remaining in the city have been asked to remain on alert in the coming 48 hours and prepare themselves for any order from the leadership.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st , 2016.