Fizzling out: Numbers dwindle at PTI sit-in but spirits high

300 people made to the <br /> event by 8pm.

LAHORE: Spirits were high at the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf sit-in at Liberty Chowk on Monday, with participants cheering for party chairman Imran Khan and dancing on patriotic songs.

Numbers have declined at the sit-in with barely 300 participants showing up at the rally till 8pm. In his message to party workers, Khan had announced that the sit-in would begin at 6.30pm.

Several families were seen taking photographs and making videos of their participation.

Activists of the Insaf Students Federation (ISF) were seen in large numbers. While seating arrangements had been made for women, the management asked men to sit on the ground to express solidarity with Imran Khan.

Participants chanted slogans against the government and called for the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Many people were seen holding placards that read “We need Nawaz’s resignation.”

“We were here to show our solidarity with Imran Khan,” said Muhammad Ahmed of Gulberg. “His demands are legitimate and lawful and his protest is peaceful. The government should give in.”

Hamid Zaman, a PTI candidate in 2013 polls told The Express Tribune that PTI workers and ISF office bearers would not leave the sit-in until Khan called it off.

“As long as Khan is protesting, we will too,” he said.

He said the protest in Islamabad was being broadcast live and they too felt they were a part of it.

Makeshift stalls were set up, selling t-shirts and caps with party signs and Khan’s pictures. Ahmed Ali, a police official on security duty, said being on non-stop duty for these protests was exhausting. “We have been on security duty since the protest started,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2014.