Speculation swirls as PTI cancels rally it was gung-ho about

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Thursday postponed its public meeting at Tarnol and announced to hold it now on Sept 8, leaving many in the party in disbelief and anger.

PTI leader Azam Swati announced the rally postponement in the presence of party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. He claimed the public meeting was being postponed on the instructions of party founder Imran Khan and it would now be held on Sept 8.

Speaking to the media outside the Adiala jail, Azam Swati said under the orders of PTI founder Imran Khan, caravans heading for the rally should return. Swati explained that he travelled from Peshawar to Adiala jail to meet Imran Khan, adding that he had received a message in Peshawar that he, along with Barrister Gohar, should come for a meeting in jail. Swati said, “We met Imran Khan in jail and he told us that there are reports of religious groups gathering in Islamabad’s Red Zone in connection with their Khatm-e-Nabuwwat rally. The PTI rally was also scheduled to be held in Tarnol. Out of respect for Khatm-e-Nabuwwat and to avoid any unrest in Islamabad, today’s rally should be postponed.”

Azam Swati added that Imran Khan reiterated PTI’s commitment to peaceful political and legal struggle. To prevent any chaos, the PTI founder postponed today’s rally, but he instructed the party to start rallies across the country for upholding the rule of law and Constitution, Swati said adding that Imran ordered a rally in Lahore on August 27 and in Islamabad on Sept 8 at all costs.

“We are not addressing the PDM government but decision-makers of the country, including General Asim Munir. If the country is to be saved from destruction, public mandate must be respected,” Azam Swati said.

Swati urged the authorities to take note of actions of judges like Qazi Faez Isa and Aamer Farooq, whose decisions, he alleged, were harming the nation, law and Constitution. He said the PTI would approach the Supreme Court to address the damage caused by decisions of Aamer Farooq and Qazi Faez Isa. Swati added that the PTI would speak to the media on the reference filed against the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner.

On the other hand, it was learnt that PTI’s core committee, political committee as well as spokesperson Shoaib Shaheen were not aware of the decision about the postponement of rally. According to party sources, the core committee and political committee members expressed their reservations over the decision to cancel the meeting.

“There was no consultation with the two committees as well as parties of the opposition alliance, Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz Aiyeen-e-Pakistan, on this matter. The parties and leadership of the opposition alliance were informed about the cancellation of the meeting through the media,” a senior PTI leader claimed.

On the other hand, the opposition alliance called a meeting under Mehmood Khan Achakzai on Thursday to review the situation, while Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) head Senator Allama Nasir Abbas and some others arrived to participate in the public meeting. Achakzai, who is also the chairman of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, said they would not accept restrictions and would steer the country out of crises.

Talking to journalists, he said the rally was supposed to be held but it did not happen. “You know why it did not happen? Because we were far from each other and could not be contacted,” he complained.

He said Sher Afzal Marwat and policemen should not have torn each other’s clothes and added the foundations of the state should not be played with. “Our peaceful struggle is to run Pakistan according to the Constitution and law. We believe in the supremacy of Constitution and want its implementation. Those who came to participate in the rally were beaten up today,” claimed MWM chief Senator Nasir Abbas. “I strongly condemn the illegal act. It is not a civilised society where free hand is given to state institutions to beat up people,” he noted.

Separately, PTI’s good governance committee member Qazi Anwar also spoke to the media outside the Adiala jail. He said he was allowed to meet Imran only after the Islamabad High Court ordered it. He claimed that Shakeel Khan had made 27 illegal appointments and sent an account number to C&W Secretary Dr Asad, asking for a deposit of Rs50 million. The PTI founder also mentioned that a permanent internal accountability committee has been established, which will have its own office and website. Earlier Qazi Anwar and Senator Humayun Mohmand visited the Adiala jail to meet the PTI founder.

Meanwhile, in a violent confrontation, PTI activists clashed with police deployed at Tarnol, resulting in injuries to eight officers, including Tarnol Station House Officer (SHO). The injured officers were shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), confirmed SP Saddar Hakam Khan.

The incident occurred when a group of PTI activists, led by PTI MNA Arbab Aamer, arrived from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in a Vigo vehicle. The activists reportedly chanted slogans against the government before pelting police vehicle with stones and opening fire. The police arrested Arbab Aamer and a Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA). Arms were recovered from their possession and their vehicles were taken into custody.

Also, Duty Magistrate Raja Ijaz Ahmed sent 21 PTI workers to Adiala jail on judicial remand on Thursday. They were arrested from Tarnol, where they had reached to attend the party rally. They were identified as Ajab Gul Nazar, Nurul Rehman, Arsalan, Sher Khan, Abdul Rehman, Shoaib, Raja Muhammad, Shaukat. Aziz, Manzoor Ahmed, Raheel Qayyum, Sadiq, Zohaib, Syed Hub Ali, Abdul Qadir, Dilawar Khan, Javed Shahid, Ehtsham Ashraf, Azhar, Ishtiaqur Rehman, Syed Shahzeb and Waqar Hussain.

Meanwhile, a purported audio of the sister of PTI founder Aleema Khan also surfaced, in which she was seen slamming the party leadership over Imran Khan’s confinement. In the short audio clip, she could be heard saying that they (PTI leaders) have no intention of getting the party founder freed. She also questioned as to why Azam Swati went to meet the PTI founder at 7:30am. “There is a question: who sent Azam Swati to meet the PTI founder,” she wondered. Apparently, she was upset over the sudden postponement of the Tarnol public meeting.

Aleema claimed that Swati was sent by the establishment on seeing people coming out with zeal from across the country. She suggested to the interviewer to ask this question on social media.

The PTI founder’s sister said she had asked many times why the party founder sitting in jail was being asked. The party chairman is sitting outside and he takes the decisions himself when his heart desires, she said.

Later, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said in Swabi on Thursday he had postponed the planned public meeting in Tarnol on the orders of PTI founder Imran Khan. “We had made all arrangements for the historic public meeting at Tarnol but put off the event on the orders of our leader Imran Khan. We are bound to obey the orders of our leader,” he told the media while defending his decision to postpone the PTI public meeting.

The KP CM vowed to arrange the public meeting in Islamabad as a show of power on Sept 8. “Imran Khan has once again proved that he respects the law and Constitution. He does everything in the interest of nation and country. Imran does not want confrontation and chaos,” the chief minister said.

Meanwhile, CM Gandapur distributed Rs5,000 each among party workers and drivers in Swabi after the postponement of the public meeting. A video that showed Gandapur distributing the money went viral on social media. Those receiving the money also included Rescue 1122 employees as seen in the video. PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan and Shibli Faraz were also present.

Adviser to CM on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif defended the money distribution and said Gandapur had given the money out of his pocket as he cared for the poor.