PTI’s Punjab wing said on Wednesday that it was still gearing up for the shutter-down strikes first in Faisalabad on December 8, and then Lahore on December 15, adding that they will also respond to the countrywide shutter-down strike on December 18.
Chairman PTI Imran Khan had made calls for city and countrywide shutdowns as part of his ‘Plan C’ announced on November 30 in Islamabad.
“There is no confusion within party ranks regarding talks and proceeding with the calls for shut down. It is our resolve that we will go ahead with the call for shut down,” PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry told The Express Tribune on Wednesday.
“When they [government] feel the heat, only then will they give in.”
While the PTI chairman had initially called for shutting down Lahore on December 4, this date was pushed to December 15 on Monday following a high-level party meeting in Islamabad.
While the party had at the time explained the date revision as a tactical reschedule owing to other protests and rallies scheduled for the same day in Lahore, Chaudhry said the decision was taken owing to shortage of preparation time.
“The date for Lahore’s shut down was extended because it was too short a notice to mobilise the city. But we decided to go ahead with Faisalabad as per schedule.”
“We are mentally ready for the government’s reaction during our protests. This is our constitutional right and we have said we would not resort to violence.”
Chaudhry said the party will reach out to all stakeholders including trade unions, doctors, lawyers, teachers and the ordinary man, urging them to support PTI’s cause.
Gearing up for Lahore
Meanwhile, the PTI’s Lahore district leadership has started preparations for bringing Lahore to a halt on December 15.
District level meetings have been initiated to discuss the strategy for the call made by the party chief.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, PTI Lahore district’s information secretary Farrukh Javed Moon said they had decided to block six entry points of the city including Shahdara, Qainchi chowk, Shalimar chowk, Thokar Niaz and Sangian bridge. Mall Road too will be blocked.
“These entry points would be blocked for traffic,’ he said. “We are ready to face the consequences resulting from our protest.”
Talks with government
Regarding the resumption of talks with the government, Chaudhry said their party was, in principle, ready for talks. However, he lamented that recent round of talks with the government had reflected their lack of seriousness for meaningful dialogue.
“The government has made a mockery of talks. They only want to gain some more time”.
He refuted reports that the government and PTI were engaged in talks at any level.
“Even if it were, the provincial leadership will continue their struggle and go ahead with the protest until justice is served,” he said. “The government would need to show flexibility and agree to a time bound investigation. I am under the impression they [government] won’t come to the table unless we are out on streets.”
Moon added that so far no instructions had been received from the central party leadership regarding the cancellation of their protests.
The district body is expected to hold another meeting before the December 15 strike.
No consultation on appointment of CEC
Chaudhry said the party had not been consulted regarding the appointment of a new chief election commissioner.
COMMENTS (24)
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Well, i dont know about rest of Pakistan but surely in karachi they cant even close down the small cart of vegetables. In karachi there are quite a few big stake holders than pti, even in peripheries, JUI and ANP will not them allow to do it.
Model Town justice needs to handed down to Tahirul Qadri who instigated brainwashed followers to attack police and break the law. If he tried this in Canada where he lives as a refugee, he would be jailed but in Pakistan people defend a person who is a trouble causer! Shame that we don’t blame the really guilty party. @H Chaudhry: Let them try shutting down Lahore or any other city. The Taleban tried to shut down Pakistani cities and failed. Imran Khan and his deluded followers think they are above the law. I am glad everyone sees this megalomaniac for what he is!
@Guest So if some one does not agree with you, they become Insane? I support PMLN for their economic reforms and macro economic activities. Call me a mentally enslave to Sharif monarchy? Is this sound reasonable. I think you are enslaved by a power hungry loser. Why cant you just accept the fact that there are PMLN supporters, Much more than you and they are just like you, living breating human beings. Stop labeling people that do not agree with you. Grow up and perhaps your leader will grow up as well.
@Ranjha You bet I will not forget. Enough of this stupidity. Try to block my way to work, my work or my way from work to home and I will do every thing in my power to get Azadi from idiots following loser khan. @Usman Just because you think its Haq does it become Haq? What about haq for my vote that was casted for PMLN. What about those who did vote for PMLN. What about trying to prove it in courts for once. What about respting others and not shoving down your dreams down the throats of others. What about just working hard for people where you can and organize and get better and try to win next election. No because the power hungry ego maniac wants to be PM now and that is what WE WILL NOT ALLOW. This is not a joke. I have waited for law to take course in Courts so as many others. Don't jump the gun. Stop with this rhetoric and follow the process. We will prevail and next elections will be in 2018.
@Grace: You are mentally insane. Also mentally enslaved to Sharif monarchy. I can't believe your making comments like " brainwashed people attacked the police". I am not a supporter of qadri but let me remind you that the police went over to Qadri secretariat in the dark at night and illegally tried to remove the barriers.
Anyway any sane person will start hating Sharif brothers after finding out how corrupt, dishonest and selfish they are. They can go to any extent for the lust of power and money. As far as killing people, bribing judiciary and beating up blind people. However, people like you who are deaf, dumb and blind as well as mentally enslaved can never see anything beyond personal benefits. This patwari culture in Punjab needs to be changed to establish anything good at all.
IK has done his job. Now its our time to take the matter in our hand. We must destroy Nawaz system before it destroy us all. Go Nawaz GO
@Mohammed ali:
They will not, as the following will never support PTI or justice:
Electricity Thieves Gas Thieves Tax Cheats Land Grabbers People that mix impurites in food Government workers who take bribes Government workers who have their positions through sifarish Workers in PIA/WAPDA/Rail/Steel Mill that have their positions through sifarish Smugglers Alcohol makers/sellers Ephedrtine or other drug dealers Etc.If you see a middle class educated person who does not support PTI or MQM you know that he is one of the above.
@H Chaudhry:
Yes we know it is war, it is a war we have been losing to the corrupt, losing to the wicked, losing to thieves, losing to incompetence, losing to nepotism ....... This is the first time we will get to fight back.
When your grandchildren ask what did you to do for 'Pakistan' you can tell them that you stood in the way of Haq, and you fought on the side of the thieves,corrupt,incompetent
@Igloo: You are as naive to the whole system as any igloo dweller can be to the outside world.
@grace
Please read the news regularly. What happened in model town was televised live. Who attacked who and who killed who.
Most of these N League supporters aren’t brainwashed or anything but they’re part of the corrupt system themselves. From the bribe taking police officer to the electricity stealing land owner from the ghost teacher who comes once a month to collect her pay check to the tax evading business owner.These people are all well aware of what they are doing and who they support. Parties like PPP and N league give these people refuge from being held accountable for their crimes. These people will blame IK and the youth for all the bad that happens in the country yet the truth is that they are solely responsible for all the problems this country has right now. These people steal and rob from hard working Pakistanis everyday and they do the same when they go abroad, I personally know two families like this in London, They’ll act very religious in front of others but when it comes to government assistance, they’ll take all the money they can. Ask almost any welfare taking Pakistani abroad and they’ll be firm supporters of Nawaz Sharif, you want to know why? because this has been ingrained in their minds from childhood by their criminal parents before them that it is ok to take money from other people which ever way you can. These people make other Pakistanis look bad and I’m sad to say that IK or Qadri can’t do anything for Pakistan because until this certain class of people, isn’t eradicated from our society our country can never change.
Let PTI be exposed on the shutdown day. It is one thing to bring a few scores, even a few hundred roads on some major roads and disturb the life of a city and claim victory and something completely different to have masses voting with their feet and staying away from work. PTI made several appeals, nay pleas, during the heated days of August and September, asking people to come out on streets and barely managed to cause a stir. Nothing has changed since. Let the bluff be called.
And I am waiting here in Karachi for these numskulls. Try shutting down a pan ka khoka in my neighborhood let alone Sharah-e-Faisal and we would teach these Youthias a new meaning of the word "Whopped." Besides we known that Shah Mehmood has already hinted and a complete U-Turn as usual is just around the corner.
@Mohammad Ali,
Has Imran Khan given justice to those tens of officers and men who were slaughtered by the TTP during that infamous D.I. Khan jailbreak? Has Imran Khan done an iota of justice to those hundreds of kids who have been affected by Polio due to the incompetence of KPK which only used Sehat ka Insaf gig as means to make money for Jahangir Tareen and a photo op? Has Imran Khan rendered justice to those little kids who died after being administered expired and adulterated measles vaccination at KPK government hospitals? Has Imran Khan even spoken one word of condemnation for his CM and his police who beat up poor IDPs in Bannu and thrown in jail just because they were hungry and protesting for aid?
As for injustices, I don't need a cocaine snorter, liar and a hypocrite who would stand for my rights. That person first needs to dispense justice to his own daughter by acknowledging her to be his flesh and blood.
IK will utterly fail to block cities.he wants to spread anarchy in Pakistan on some foreign agenda.He should stop now for the sake of his future political life,He is on suicidal mission for himself only.
Congrats Punjab, you have your very own MQM.
@Ranjha For the past 6 months we have been listening to IK's utterly ridiculous statements, which only show a deeply disturbed mentality. So bear with us as we bear with your leader
@Mohammed ali: Model Town justice needs to handed down to Tahirul Qadri who instigated brainwashed followers to attack police and break the law. If he tried this in Canada where he lives as a refugee, he would be jailed but in Pakistan people defend a person who is a trouble causer! Shame that we don't blame the really guilty party. @H Chaudhry: Let them try shutting down Lahore or any other city. The Taleban tried to shut down Pakistani cities and failed. Imran Khan and his deluded followers think they are above the law. I am glad everyone sees this megalomaniac for what he is!
@H Chaudhry:
We are ready and we will not allow any one to halt Lahore. It will be a war!
OMG! Please don't forget to bring your gundassa!
Pakistanis are with you PTI and IK, no mater what this shame democracy and rigged government has to go, let zardari, maulana, ANP and all the status co put there weight behind this gullucrasy..PTI is single handily fighting the cause of true and meaning full democracy for Pakistan, history will look back and see this era as a real game changer for Pakistan and Pakistanis.
Five ten years down the road we will wish we had heeded Imrans call.. Model town.. No justice.. Babies die no one cares.. We have become immune to people's rights being violated that we think it's supposed to be this way.
Just wait for injustice to come to your doorstep. No one will come to help you. Then you will heed Imrans call for justice.
This man is responsible for the killing of tens of thousands of innocent Pakistanis and huge damage done to state assets.He is asking for justice.Sure he will get justice.
These anti-state elements cannot shut Lahore and Faisalabad. Imran Khan will disappoint. It will be his political suicide.
@sabi:
For the past six months, I have been reading your utterly ridiculous comments, which only show a deeply disturbed mentality.
Please stop your wishful thinking now--whatever you spew in hatred, it A'INT gonna happen.
Bring it ON. I challenge PTI to try halting me in Lahore. We are ready and we will not allow any one to halt Lahore. It will be a war!