Pakistan

Naya Pakistan not possible without support from Karachi, says Imran

Urges all communities to come out and vote on April 23

Rabia Ali/web Desk April 19, 2015

SCREEN GRAB

Hundreds of supporters gathered at Shahrah-e-Pakistan in Karachi for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s rally ahead of the NA-246 by-polls.

PTI chairman Imran Khan had announced to hold a rally today to campaign for the NA-246 by-polls. The rally was earlier scheduled to be held at Jinnah Bagh but the party later shifted it to Shahrah-e-Pakistan.

9:52pm

PTI chairman Imran Khan arrives on stage to address the rally.

“I am here to fulfill my dream of Naya Pakistan, which is incomplete without Karachi," he said.

He urged all communities of Karachi to come out and vote on April 23.

Read the full story here.

9:52pm

PTI’s candidate from NA-246 Imran Ismail addressing the rally, says MQM claims to be a representative of the poor but it gave birth to feudals, our correspondent Rabia Ali reports.

“Babar Ghauri seized property of the poor and turned it into marriage lawns,” he said.

I am a son of Karachi, not an absconder on the run, he adds.

Nobody will ever shut down the city again, we will put an end to fright where you began it. @ImranIsmailPTI #PTINA246Jalsa
— PTI (@PTIofficial) April 19, 2015

9:33pm

PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi addresses the crowd, says all movements in the country originated from Karachi.

“Imran Khan has come not to win a seat but to change the country’s political system,” he said.

PHOTO: PTI

Every movement has originated from KHI. KHI gives hope to people! It's a historically & culturally rich city!- @SMQureshiPTI #PTINA246Jalsa
— PTI (@PTIofficial) April 19, 2015

8:59pm

PTI sees conspiracy behind power outage at the rally venue.

It appears from on the spot reports that wires cut in connivance with local administration!
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) April 19, 2015

8:38pm

Power partially restored, sound system becomes operational, our correspondent Rabia Ali reports.

Light is back
Junoon On
Dj butt will rocks #PTINA246Jalsa R u ready Karachi
— Reshma (@GeoReshma) April 19, 2015

8:32pm

Lights, sound system shut down due to a technical fault in the generator, our correspondent Rabia Ali reports.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah directs restoration of streets lights in the area at the earliest.

The jalsa is being powered by the parties own generators & street lights do not fall under KE's domain. pic.twitter.com/mkEeXbopra
— KE (@KElectricPk) April 19, 2015

8:15pm

Power outage at the rally venue. Consequently, the sound system also experiences shut down.

The lights went off in #PTINA246Jalsa what the hell is going on? We knew this was coming. Sick. #BreakTheShacklesOfFear
— Reshma (@GeoReshma) April 19, 2015

8:11pm

PTI chairman Imran Khan reaches the rally venue.

7:45pm

Rally participants chant "go Altaf go" slogans, our corespondent reports.

7:39pm

The stage is set, party leaders will reach the venue shortly.

Waiting to welcome @ImranKhanPTI #PTINA246Jalsa pic.twitter.com/5niGJOuqze
— PTI (@PTIofficial) April 19, 2015

Imran Khan is expected to address the rally from the pedestrian bridge, our correspondent Rabia Ali reports.

7:03pm

PTI chairman Imran Khan leaves hotel to join the party rally at Ayesha Manzil.

Imran khan left hotel to join us soon.
Let's welcome him warmly.
— Imran Ismail (@ImranIsmailPTI) April 19, 2015

PHOTO: RABIA ALI

Read: NA-246 by-polls: PTI to hold rally on Sharae Pakistan, not Jinnah Ground

The rally is scheduled to start at 5pm.

Addressing the media, the PTI chairman said their rally in MQM's stronghold is to end fear in the people of Karachi.

“This is a great match because it’s not just about how big the rally is but about the fact elections are being held in this constituency,” Imran said.

PHOTO: RABIA ALI

“Change is that elections are being held in no-go areas,” he added.

Imran claimed the MQM held a big rally last night as they too, similar to PTI, are harnessing support ahead of the by-polls.

The PTI chairman, along with his wife Reham Khan and senior party leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Jehangir Tareen, arrived in Karachi Saturday night.

PHOTO: RABIA ALI

Touching down in the city, Imran linked the fate of Karachi to the outcome of the NA-246 (Azizabad) by-election — a vote result that could potentially alter both the future of Karachi and the prosperity of Pakistan.

Read: Race for Azizabad: By-polls to decide Karachi’s future, says Imran Khan

PHOTO: RABIA ALI

“We are contesting this seat only to bring the people of Karachi out of fear,” said Imran. “This one seat will not change anything for us in the National Assembly.”

Earlier today, Imran visited leading businessman and prominent stock broker Aqeel Kareem Dhedhi to raise funds for another hospital.

COMMENTS (19)

Morons | 9 years ago | Reply So disappointed by IK over the past three years!! He is fighting a lost cause, wasting time and claiming so much out of nothing!! There is no fear in Karachi from MQM, but for only those who do not love the city. Those who love Karachi knows that MQM is their only savior at this time. Don't know what IK is claiming.

S.R.H. Hashmi | 9 years ago | Reply If Imran Khan and his party members really grieved over the plight of people, then they would have tended to the far more deserving people within and in the immediate neighbourhood of the province that his party is ruling. There are the people who had to live away from their homes, and in the not-so-well-furnished camps for months on end. And now that they are moving back to their houses, they would not be returning to newly-painted, decorated houses well-stocked with groceries. But instead of giving them moral, and all possible material support, Imran Khan and his team members are busy politicking in Karachi, in the hope of gaining one National Assembly seat, which they have absolutely no chance of winning. Within the province and its neighbourhoood, there are people who have no access to the facilities available to most of Pakistanis living elsewhere in the country. In fact, these people seem to be a few centuries behind the rest of us. I wish Imran Khan and his team members could spare a thought and shed a tear over the plight of people much nearer home and do something to improve their lot, instead of offering sweet dreams to people of Karachi nearly 1,400 kilometes away. Karachi

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Singh | 9 years ago | Reply IK, take care of old pakistan instead of naya pakistan.

Napier Mole | 9 years ago | Reply The gutter language used by PTI leaders and wild allegations by Imran Ismail and others imply that PTI is in desperate straits now - and yes, a couple of lawsuits are on their way!

T+ | 9 years ago | Reply PTI Jalsa was comedy of errors. As an MQM supporter it was fun to watch such a mismanagement and blabbering from high profile PTI leaders.

Aslam | 9 years ago | Reply @ Hasan Askari Your sarcastically lame comments have no meaning... IK has already done what he meant to do...... It only the core and by--birth mqm workers like you who are supporting this terrorist group now. Common people who do not want to come these jalsa are all with PTI. Even if mqm wins this seat, I think the true winner is PTI because they have broken the stronghold.

Jan | 9 years ago | Reply For majorrity of peacefull people living in and outside the country ....MQM is nothing more than an embarrasment!

Jalal | 9 years ago | Reply This guy just keeps coming up with new stuff but does not deliver on previous promises. Everything is just a game for him.

Mohammed | 9 years ago | Reply If the MQM are not scared, why are they so desperate. Time is up for these thugs and extortionists.

Abdullah | 9 years ago | Reply "Karachi ko sim sim banaya hua hai. khul ja sim sim. Band hu ja sim sim" (Imran Ismail) Well said:-)

Blithe | 9 years ago | Reply The best thing that's happened to Imran Khan is the Reham. I'm glad he gave her due credit. He is now far more balanced and uses less abusive language.

Hasan Askari | 9 years ago | Reply I am missing arial views from different channels today. lol I knew that overwhleming majority of Urdu speakers would not vote for PTI anyway but looking at the flop show I am now thinking even pathans, punjabis are now not supporting PTI. The top leader is here and channels are showing that organizers are taking chairs away already before he has spoken. Anyway it was expected. Even establishment needs to adjust and think about how much stuffing is realistic

Asad S | 9 years ago | Reply Go altaf go

Sufferer | 9 years ago | Reply PTI has at least thought to provide a sigh of relief to the sufferer of the demolished marriage halls in karachi by acquiring 30,000 chairs for their Jalsa. Hope they get back the chairs intact and are well compensated........ !!

Hasan Askari | 9 years ago | Reply Power showdown has suffered load shedding. It was scheduled to start at 5.00 PM but due to accident on Sohrab Ghoth road participants were not able to reach NA246. Few mcdonalds can be seen dancing. Load shedding is scheduled to end at 7.00 PM.

Kpk2Khi | 9 years ago | Reply i believe if IK had won a seat from Karachi in past election, he would not have gone to infamous Dharnas. What happened to the good old parent-child & candy tactic that kept all happy in a family? See how swiftly he went to parliament meeting even at the cost of loosing face. Had NS knew this, it could have saved crucial national wealth, image, time and life, lot earlier. After all eventually the Govt negotiated this deal with Altaf anyway.

Napier Mole | 9 years ago | Reply Imran Khan and PTI and for that matter JI appear to be claiming undue credit for the so called 'opening' of no go areas by holding a rally in District Central. In all the last national elections since 1988, all major political parties have held rallies in this area, including JI and MMA. It is another story that none of them were able to garner sufficient appeal among Karachiites.

Hasan Askari | 9 years ago | Reply A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) should be formed to investigate epic failure of PTI Jalsa Even those few hundreds who are there look like a mixture of mcdonald burgers and band kababs. There is just no local representation of Karachi. Anything above 5000 votes in this election means rangers stuffed the ballots.

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