LAHORE: Insaf Students’ Federation (ISF) has been organising a protest camp for the past three days at Lalik Chowk in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) to express solidarity with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
Karrar Niazi, an ISF member, said the camp was active between 5pm and 2am. He said the camp had been organised to lend support to PTI’s demands. Niazi said PTI workers and ISF members gathered at the camp everyday after 5pm.
He said some DHA residents had established the camp featuring an LCD screen to broadcast activities and updates from the Azadi March. Niazi said a sound system had also been set up at the camp to relay patriotic songs and party anthems to keeps the spirits of the supporters buoyant.
He said ISF members had joined the camp soon after DHA residents had established it.
Niazi said they would stay put at the camp till PTI chairman Imran Khan announced end of the sit-in.
Ahmed, a protestor, said some demonstrators at the camp wield placards asking for the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and chant slogans in favour of the PTI. Ahmed said the camp would continue till the government conceded PTI’s demands. Ahmed said DHA residents had been footing the bill for the expenses being incurred as the ISF had no funds for it.
Separately, PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry said on Thursday that the leaders of the ruling party had lost their mental balance on realising that the days of the Sharif dynasty were numbered. He said public support for Azadi March was a testament to the unpopularity of the rulers. Chaudhry said the rulers had usurped the mandate of the public.
He said the peaceful manner in which the party had conducted the march had validated its credentials as a non-violent political force.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2014.
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