Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday called on party activists and supporters to reach Islamabad, ‘come what may’, by November 30 even as the court mandated negotiations over a no-objection certificate for the party’s planned rally failed to break the deadlock.
“What you are about to do on November 30 is not for yourself or for me. It is for our country,” he told hundreds of PTI workers and supporters in Lahore, two days ahead of what the party plans will be a ‘decisive’ gathering in Islamabad. “History will remember you for your role in making Pakistan a progressive country.”
Claiming the government was using police raids to deter people from participating in the November 30 rally, Imran urged his followers to remain calm and united. “‘They will try to scare you and stop you, but remember that you are not breaking any law,” he said.
“This is a peaceful protest and that is our democratic right… so you will not stop. Your captain will be waiting [in Islamabad],” the PTI chief added.
Imran said his party had evolved over the more than 100 days it has carried out its sit-in in Islamabad. “Today I see greater passion than I had seen in Lahore on August 14. We are a different party today from what we were then.”
He added that PTI’s continued protest against the government and rigging in the May 2013 elections had raised awareness among the public about its rights and the issues the country is facing.
The PTI chief said both Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari “do not want to see justice delivered.”
“Both of them admit the [2013] elections were rigged but they never talk about accountability. They are afraid that they will be exposed.”
Back in Islamabad, while speaking to his followers at D-Chowk later in the evening, Imran claimed he had evidence of rigging in every constituency. He said he would reveal the evidence in a news conference today (Friday).
Status of NOC for November 30 rally
Negotiations between PTI representatives and Islamabad district administration officials failed to result in an NOC being issued for the party’s planned November 30 rally on Thursday after the former insisted on moving the venue closer to Parliament.
The talks, which were held after the two sides had been directed to ‘reach consensus’ on the matter by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) earlier in the day, had resulted in the district administration verbally agreeing to allow PTI to hold a rally on Parade Avenue. But PTI’s wish to build a stage a little closer to Parliament led to a gridlock.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Mujahid Sherdil said all that remained was for PTI to sign an affidavit containing 42 clauses discussed in the meeting. “The NOC will be issued after PTI signs the affidavit.”
“The only hurdle is the party’s insistence on moving the venue,” Sherdil added.
One of the organisers of PTI’s ongoing sit-in in Islamabad, Ali Nawaz Awan, said the party wanted to build its stage on the second layer of containers placed between the current venue and Parliament. “This area does not fall inside the Red Zone,” he said. “We have assured them we will not enter Constitution Avenue.” “We have already put all other conditions we agreed upon into practice,” Awan added.
According to a district administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the 42 clauses incorporated in the affidavit include conditions such as no show of weapons, no anti-state speeches, assurance that there will be no attack on public and private buildings and PTI’s full support to law enforcement agencies.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 28th, 2014.
COMMENTS (15)
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Keep up the great work imran khan.
@ali: Its the goverment failure to perform which is affecting the economy and not few hundred people sitting in an isolated area of Islamabad.Ifn the past 19 months not a single thing PML N has done right for the country.Every institution is much worse today than what it was at the time when Mr Zardari left the goverment.
Best thing for PML N to silence Imran Khan and PTI was to perform and show good governance.But unfortunately the very experienced PM has failed 3rd time and probably leave for Jeddah very soon.
@Overseas pakistani: I fully agree.PTI selected those 4 seats very carefully where they were 100% sure that seats were won by PML and his supporter by massive scale rigging.People should understand why the goverment is not doing audit on those 4 seats as demanded by PTI 18 months ago.Nawaz Shareef knows very well that once these 4 constituencies are opened that he will be exposed and who goverment would collapse like a pack of cards.PML N is trying its best to extend the govermenmt's rule for as long as possible so that they could make some more money in kick backs and commissions.
IK has taken extreame position because this thing has taken too long to resolve. To resolve this issue govt should have formed a commission and let them investigate. Govt does not want to do this. It seems they did some manipulation during election and do not want exposed. In this whole scenario govt is more to blame than IK. The courts and other departments are corrupt otherwise they should have helped resolved this issue.
Indeed he is repeating same thing again and again because his opponents are doing the same thing for decades that is plundering this great nation in their every stint of power.IMRAN KHAN has exposed this electoral system which can not stop rigging rather it protects and promotes rigging and does not punish the wrong doers. It is the only country where rigging is being defended on the slogans of protecting system and democracy
@Ch. Allah Daad: Now you will tell us what to do?? Hilarious. Everybody used to see ur comments, a pathetic PMLN troll.
Allah Help Imran Khan to get rid of these filthy politicians and wake up the sleeping nation of Pakistan.
@ali: Economy isn't everything, sometimes you have to sacrifice luxuries for the greater good.
How easy is it to fool Pakistanis!!!
When the water car came into picture, Pakistani media lapped up the story saying it would radically change the future of Pakistan. Pakistan will become a superpower in the world.
Now, Imran Khan is Pakistan's second water car. All fake and delusions.
I love it how Pakistanis have dug their own graves every single day since 25,000 days.
@Ch. Allah Daad: Not only will Imran Khan announce dates for new rallies, he will also announce a new sore loser committee headed by old politicians like Shaikh Rasheed and the Chaudries of Gujrat. The sole agenda will be to teach people that hard work and respecting an imperfect democratic system makes no sense in his world. The agenda of PTI is to create a new Libya, Egypt, Syria or Iraq since they don't want stability and progress in Pakistan. All they want is to assuage Imran Khan's ego which is all that matters.
What a waste of time and sources. Imran is just a sour loser who doesn't know how to move on. In the process he has no concerns on how much he mit hurt pakistans economy. I, as a non resident Pakistani am thinking if I should visit Pakistan during this time. Imagine what foreign investors must be thinking.
His greed for power is down right scary since he has done nothing in KPK and more importantly has no ideas on how to fix things either. I think he will disappoint immensely if he came to power but for that he must wait for 2018 otherwise next time you will have half a million Taliban and madrasah kids asking for the next government to resign. This precedent must not be set.
@ali: @Ch. Allah Daad: Peoples of the Nation shall not stand by idly while their rights are being pilfered, one does not need binoculars to see that the governments of the past have robbed the citizens in the brightest of daylight.
Gentlemen of PAKISTAN, We have to rectify all our dysfunctional and limping Institutions, afterwards let us vote for whom we think will lead us, and catch-up with the 21st Century.
Please think before going for the jugular.
Many Thanks
IK, do not you have anything else to do but to bring the country and economy to a standstill, its peoples' lives you are playing with.
Don't trouble yourself to go to Islamabad. He will tell you nothing new except to announce date of next rally.