Govt roadblock denials at odds with reality

Punjab ministers criticise PTI for poor turnout and public disapproval

LAHORE:

The government's repeated denial of road blockages leading to the PTI rally venue seems to be flying in the face of reality, as glaring evidence tells a different story.

Instead, officials have pointed fingers at PTI, accusing the party of losing public support in Punjab due to its so-called "anarchist agenda".

Reports from the ground reveal that police placed containers on key routes throughout the day to hinder rally-goers, making it nearly impossible for many to reach the venue.

Those who managed to navigate the maze of roadblocks found themselves walking long distances, as the rally site was strategically selected to maximize inconvenience for PTI supporters.

According to a well-placed source, an SP along with a team of two hundred police jawans was prepped to take on K-P CM's convoy. However, the plan was dropped at the eleventh hour to avoid bloodshed.

Media coverage of the rally was also kept at a minimum, with more airtime being dedicated to government criticism of the event than to the rally itself.

Both Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari and Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb doubled down on the narrative that the PTI had failed on its own.

They claimed the Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had granted PTI a "free hand" to organise the event and that it was solely PTI's responsibility to draw the crowd.

Aurangzeb strangely thanked Maryam for ensuring that all roads remained clear and for providing PTI with "ample security." She quipped that PTI's leaders when faced with empty roads, slowed down their vehicles out of embarrassment.

She said that the failure should serve as a wake-up call, helping the party come to its senses.

In a pointed jab at PTI, she added that after the music and light systems were turned off following government warnings of stern action, PTI leaders packed up and left, lights off, tails between their legs.

In a press conference, Aurangzeb emphasized that despite PTI's history of chaos, the Punjab government had allowed the rally without interference. "Every road, including the motorway, was open," she stated.

Aurangzeb revealed that 3,500 chairs had been placed at the venue, yet PTI still couldn't muster a full house. "Now they're posting old photos on social media to save face," she added.

Aurangzeb asserted that the rally had revealed PTI's waning influence, with even like K-P CM Ali Amin Gandapur arriving late.

She accused Gandapur of stirring violence, recalling how he allegedly smashed a car window with an AK-47 butt in frustration. "A man sitting in jail is calling for unrest – clearly his mind hasn't healed yet," she said, mocking incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan.

"Even 200 MPAs and MNAs couldn't each bring ten people to the rally," she said, adding that Punjab, Lahore, and the people of Pakistan have rejected them.

Gandapur, who eventually reached the venue, remained seated in his car. When asked about his late arrival, Aurangzeb quipped, "How could someone who left at 2pm expect to arrive on time? The truth is, they just didn't have the numbers."

Maryam Nawaz has ordered that the smashed car window be replaced, but the government, Aurangzeb stressed, would not allow PTI to play the victim card. "Actions will be taken against whoever committed any crime."

Meanwhile, Azma said that the so-called revolution of PTI in Lahore badly flopped and the revolutionaries had been seen fleeing even barefooted. "We know how to curb the miscreants and enforce the law. Political activities are allowed only under the law. Those who have broken the law will not be spared," she asserted.

She said that K-P CM Gandapur had known that people from Punjab and Lahore would not come to the Jalsa, and that was why he brought people along with him from K-P.

"Gandapur tried to get face-saving by not arriving on time for the jalsa."

She recalled a time when PTI rallies in Lahore drew massive crowds, but yesterday, there was nothing but silence. Ironically, when PML-N rallies saw similar large turnouts, PTI used to dismiss them as mere media gimmicks.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari also claimed that Imran Khan is part of an Israeli-backed conspiracy. Citing The Jerusalem Post, she said the paper exposed his attempts to establish ties with Israel, including sending a delegation for this purpose.

She added that the PML-N government will never recognise Israel as a state under any circumstances.