Reaching the venue: PTI Pindi, north Punjab chapters will have one ‘mass rally’

Party workers first will assemble at Rawalpindi chapter office before leaving for Islamabad

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Rawalpindi and northern Punjab chapters will converge on Islamabad in the form of a ‘big rally’ to participate in the party’s main rally.

Party workers from across Rawalpindi and northern Punjab will converge on Ashiana House, the party’s district chapter office, on Murree Road, before leaving for Islamabad to attend the party’s main rally. Member Provincial Assembly Ijaz Khan Jazi will lead the rally.

A rally will also be taken out by Awami Muslim League (AML) workers from Lal Haveli that will join the PTI rally near Faizabad. “Though we have assured the district government we will remain peaceful, they (the government) cannot be trusted,” said Jazi, while talking about possible arrests.

Earlier, there were plans floated for party workers to go to the venue in the form of multiple rallies.

Jazi said that they will leave Ashiana House at 1pm. He claimed that the number of the participants from Rawalpindi district could exceed 100,000, as he has held around 85 corner meetings in the city to mobilise people.

He said that so far no containers have been placed by the district administration and hoped that the government will avoid putting hurdles in their way.

“But, we will make our way no matter how many containers they place,” he said, adding that the workers will not carry sticks or any other item that may be misconstrued as a weapon.

Meanwhile, police said that no route will be blocked as the PTI leadership has given assurances that they will remain peaceful and no damage will be done to property.

“No one will be arrested unless they breach the law. If they use force, however, we will not rule out the use of force in response,” said a senior official while requesting not to be named.

Sadaqat Abbasi, former PTI north president, said the  “disgruntled” workers will take out their own rally from Faizabad to D-Chowk at 3pm.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2014.