Insiders say PML-N workers to stay at home

Refuse to join Oct 12 Black Day, Gujranwala rally

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi leadership of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) is facing a setback after a number of its ideological workers refused to participate in the series of protests against the government starting next week.

Party insiders told The Express Tribune that the disgruntled workers of PML-N have refused to participate in the Gujranwala public meeting on October 16 and the Black Day on October 12.

The PML-N had decided to kick-off the anti-government movement from a protest at Rawalpindi Press Club on October 12. However, party workers have announced no to observe the Black Day.

The workers have reservations on the political organisation of the party at the divisional level and they are adamant for their redressal first.

Sources said that the divisional leadership of PML-N is distressed on the response. They cannot find local leaders to lead the rally from Rawalpindi to Gujranwala for the public gathering.

All efforts in this regard have gone in vain and no one has been able to persuade the supporters to participate in the demonstrations.

Ex-MNA Hanif Abbasi, who was considered a charismatic leader in the party and backbone of the party's Rawalpindi politics, has also side-lined himself after he was declared ineligible to contest in the elections.

Sources said that workers believe that this way, they could draw the attention of the party’s central leadership towards problems in the PML-N Rawalpindi organisation.

The leaders are roaming around the garrison city to address the reservations of disgruntled workers before the demonstrations but receiving no substantial response.

Hence, the situation has put the divisional and district party leadership in a dilemma as the flaws in the party organisation at the divisional level would come to the fore if they remained unable to gather supporters in the protests.

The grouping in city and district leadership of PML-N has come to the fore before the local bodies’ elections.

PML-N central leadership had directed to organise the party in Rawalpindi district before local bodies’ elections.

In light of this, the PML-N Divisional President Malik Abrar started organising workers’ convention in different constituencies. However, The Express Tribune learnt that the former MNA Malik Shakeel Awan was not invited in the PP-18 Workers’ Convention while Sajjad Khan, who contested in 2018 General Elections on PML-N's ticket, has also been removed from the party’s decision-making panel at the district level.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2020.