In solidarity: PTI stages sit-in at Governor’s House

Party workers say protests will continue until prime minister resigns.

LAHORE:

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) supporters on Monday staged a sit-in in front of Governor’s House to express solidarity with the party’s Azadi March in Islamabad.

PTI Punjab general secretary Yasmin Rashid, information secretary Andleeb Abbas and Punjab Assembly members led the sit-in.

A PTI office-bearer told The Express Tribune the party leadership had asked its supporters to come to the sit-in in groups.

However, a thin attendance was observed. The participants were also not as charged up as they had been in some of the recent demonstrations.

PTI central vice president Seemi Bukhari said the protest was their democratic right. “We have been protesting peacefully.”

She accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of trying to derail democracy.

Abbas said PTI chairman Imran Khan had directed all women supporters in Islamabad to go back and hold protests in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and other cities. “They have been asked to start a countrywide movement against the government.”

She said Imran Khan had parted ways with PTI president Javed Hashmi. Hashmi was not called to a central executive committee meeting on Sunday, she said.

“He is no more part of the party. Procedures to expel him will be completed soon,” Abbas said. She said the PTI would continue to stage protest demonstrations until Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigned.

“We will continue to release protest schedules for our supporters. People will bring life to a standstill until our demands are met,” she said.

Abbas said a party worker, Gulfam Khan, had drowned in Islamabad after police pushed him in a trench during the rioting.

MPA Mian Aslam Iqbal said the PTI wanted to rid the nation of Sharifs’ rule. “We are peaceful people… holding protest demonstrations is our right,” Iqbal said.

A group of participants led by Jawad Warrich said they would not quit until government met all Imran Khan’s demands. “We love Khan. We are ready for any sacrifice to create a new Pakistan.”

Most of the protesters chose to stand instead of sitting on the carpets arranged for the sit-in.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2014.