TTAP not to 'carry burden' of PTI U-turn

LAHORE:

The TTAP has refused to shoulder the fallout of what it termed the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister's impulsive decision.

This followed the PTI requesting the opposition alliance to announce the postponement of its announced Rawalpindi rally in view of recent diplomatic developments.

However, according to TTAP and PTI leaders, the alliance turned down the request.

A TTAP leader, speaking to The Express Tribune, said the party wanted to distance itself from the April 9 rally even before the meeting with party founder Imran Khan.

He alleged that the party wanted the alliance to make the announcement on its behalf instead of using PTI's own platform. He added that many leaders were not in favour of the rally from the outset.

He said that on the day the K-P chief minister announced the rally, he had discussed the proposal with party leaders beforehand. According to the TTAP leader, three key PTI leaders had advised the chief minister to consult the alliance first.

However, disregarding that advice and under pressure to prove his mettle, he proceeded with the announcement. The TTAP leader said the alliance had made it clear early on that it would not participate in the rally due to the lack of prior consultation.

He added that when the PTI later approached the TTAP during a leadership meeting to take responsibility for delaying the rally, the alliance refused.

"Our position was very clear—we would not carry the chief minister's burden," he said.

He added that Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar questioned why the TTAP should take the blame for delaying an event it had not even announced.

He said the TTAP advised the PTI to convene its own party meeting and use its platform to announce the rescheduling.

He further suggested that the PTI could instead hold the event on April 25 to mark Youm-e-Tasees.

The TTAP leader also claimed that Imran Khan's advice was later used to justify a decision that PTI had already taken prior to the meeting.

He added the PTI was reminded to honour the grand opposition alliance. Key PTI leaders, speaking to The Express Tribune earlier in the week, had expressed reservations over the rally, describing it as a hasty decision.

When contacted, TTAP spokesperson Akhundzada Hussain said the alliance comprises nine parties that were not taken into confidence before the rally was announced. He said the PTI, in its individual capacity, was free to hold any number of events.

However, he maintained that since the TTAP was never part of the decision, it could not be expected to announce its postponement.