ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan seemed to be in a different mood on Tuesday as he offered to call off the sit-in if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made details of all his assets public.

He also announced that he would abandon the sit-in if the government was able to prove even a shred of wrongdoing on his part.

But Mr Khan seemed confident that such a declaration would not be forthcoming from the prime minister because “he fears accountability for his involvement in corruption and tax evasion”.

The PTI chief also announced that his party would observe ‘Go Nawaz Go-day’ on Friday and said thousands of people would participate in the sit-in on the occasion.

“I will also burn my electricity bill on Friday,” Mr Khan announced to cheers from the adoring crowds.

The PTI chief seemed to be preparing his supporters for a prolonged sit-in when he asked them: “Do you think we should celebrate Eidul Azha outside parliament?”

When the crowds responded ‘yes’, he said: “We will celebrate Eid at the sit-in and sacrifice our animals right here.”

Alluding to the prime minister’s resignation, he said that the “real sacrifice” wasn’t too far away. He also claimed that people from the government were leaking information to him.

The PTI chief accused the prime minister of asking for an additional Rs40 million for his coming visit to the United States.

He said his party would provide legal assistance to Afzal Khan, the former Election Commission official who had blown the whistle on alleged misconduct and rigging in last year’s elections.

Addressing his supporters earlier in the day, Mr Khan addressed the chief justice and said that by supporting this crackdown on protesters, he was pushing the country towards a “bloody revolution”.

Democracy’s funeral

Not to be left behind, Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri announced on Tuesday that children from the sit-in would march on the Prime Minister House soon. The cleric also led funeral prayers for ‘democracy’ a day after the world observed International Democracy Day.

He composed a litany of chants, culminating in the catchphrase “Go Nawaz Go”.

“If the power goes out, say Go Nawaz Go. If there is no gas at home, say Go Nawaz Go. If you have no water, say Go Nawaz Go. And if mosquitoes don’t let you sleep, say Go Nawaz Go.”

The floor of the parliament would soon echo with the cry, “Go Nawaz Go”, he declared.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2014