Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaf (PTI) office bearers and workers, and members of the Insaf Students Federation (ISF) held separate demonstrations in the city on Monday. PTI workers held their sit-in at Liberty Chowk while the ISF held theirs at Lalik Chowk, Defence Housing Authority.
A party official requesting anonymity said the ISF members had decided to hold their demonstration in DHA because of security concerns. He said they would join the sit-in at Liberty later at around 11pm on Friday.
PTI supporters waving party flags and chanting slogans at the Liberty Chowk sit-in on Monday. PHOTO: AYESHA MIR/EXPRESS
Hamid Zaman, a PTI ticket holder who arrived from Islamabad on Friday to organise the sit-in at Liberty Chowk, said the ISF would officially join the demonstration at Liberty Chowk on Tuesday.
Karrar Khan Niazi, a member of the ISF, said residents of DHA were not willing to join the Liberty Chowk protest, “they were least interested”. He said ISF office bearers would arrive at Liberty after wrapping up the demonstration in DHA at 11pm.
Zaman said, “I was asked by Imran Khan to hold sit-ins in Lahore... we will continue our sit-in till the rally in Islamabad ends.”
He said the PTI had shown flexibility in its demands but the government’s attitude and refusal to step down were mind boggling.
Zaman said, “The PTI kept its side of the bargain and held the sit-in in a peaceful manner but the Pakistan Mulsim League-Nawaz government has refused to accept our demands.”
He said there was a communication problem with the ISF which is why they were holding a separate demonstration.
“We have installed two big screens to listen Khan’s speech live here and will remain here till 12pm,” Zaman said. “The demonstration will be held every day from 6pm to 12pm at Liberty Chowk.”
Ghazala Bashir, a PTI supporter who came for the sit-in with her children all the way from Askari-I Housing Society on Sarfaraz Rafiqi Road, said Khan was a man of principle and could steer the country out of its crises. “My daughters are students and they need to study at home, but we came here to see Khan... he is committed to his cause in creating a new Pakistan”
Her daughter, who was holding a PTI flag, chanted “go Nawaz go”. When asked who she wanted to govern the country, she said, Khan must.
A group of PTI supporters from Sindh led by Khair Muhammad joined the Liberty Chowk sit-in. The protesters gathered at Liberty Chowk at around 6pm and proceedings began at around 7:15pm.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2014.
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Well done folks.