‘Party ticket linked to performance in long march’, Imran tells lawmakers

PTI chairman directs MNAs and MPAs to bring at least 1,000 people to participate in Islamabad protest

PESHAWAR:

PTI Chairman Imran Khan has linked the allocation of party tickets for the next general elections to the performance of party workers, particularly in the party’s upcoming much-hyped long march to Islamabad.

The former prime minister during his day-long visit to Peshawar met the party’s provincial and National Assembly members at the Chief Minister's House on Tuesday.

The party sources told The Express Tribune that the PTI chief assigned the responsibilities to the party lawmakers for the upcoming long march dubbed as ‘Azadi March’.

Each lawmaker has been directed to bring at least 1,000 people from their respective constituency to participate in the long march, they added.

Moreover, the lawmakers will bear the cost of food and drinks for workers participating in the protest rally.

On behalf of the leadership, the members of the national and provincial assemblies were given the target of bringing workers to the freedom march.

Imran, who was removed from the Prime Minister's House through a vote of no-confidence in April this year, during the meeting told the party lawmakers to participate in the long march whenever he gives calls and also warned them against leaving the protest caravan halfway.

The party insiders said Imran had warned party members against approaching him for the party ticket, saying the tickets will be awarded on the basis of the performance.

Also read: PTI’s much-awaited long march likely in October

Members of national, provincial and Senate have been given a target to bring workers to the long march.

The party chief on Monday had indicated that PTI’s long march might be taking place in the third week of this month.

The former prime minister held a meeting of district presidents and secretaries of his party’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Punjab wings, wherein he issued strict instructions to officials for the upcoming march.

He directed them to ensure full participation of the people and advised them to consider “real freedom” as “jihad”. He added that if they do not get “real freedom” now, they might never get it at all.