RAWALPINDI: After seeing the participants of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) outside Parliament House thinning out, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has asked its Punjab chapter to launch a people mobilisation campaign for its sit-in, especially during Muharram.

A meeting of the PTI Punjab chapter, presided over by Ejaz Chaudhry at a hotel in Islamabad on Monday, discussed the arrangements to continue the sit-in.

The meeting was attended by MPAs from Rawalpindi and other parts of the province as well as the district presidents of the PTI.

“It was pointed out at the meeting that musical programmes would not be possible during Muharram so the presidents of the party’s chapters in the four districts of the Rawalpindi Division were asked to bring 1,000 people from each district to the sit-in,” said a senior leader of the PTI while talking to Dawn.

He said the meeting also discussed the implementation of the decision of the core committee to continue the sit-in.

But it was not clear whether people would attend the sit-in without a musical show.

He said some local leaders were of the view that the residents of the twin cities should be invited to religious functions such as Naat Khwani and Mehfil-i-Darood where known Naat Khwans would engage the participants.

Naat Khwani to replace musical programme; local chapters asked to bring at least 1,000 people from each district

He said the number of participants at the PAT sit-in had reduced and it would have a bad impact on the sit-in of the PTI. The PTI supporters were already attending the sit-in in evenings but in the absence of the PAT workers, the venue of the PTI gathering would wear a deserted look in the mornings, he said.

“The district organisations have been asked to mobilise the people for the evenings at least. The party local leaders assured the meeting that a maximum number of people would be attending the sit-in.”

He said the provincial chapters also discussed the resentment of the party workers and supporters over the prolonged sit-in, but they were asked not to raise the matter and follow the party directions.  

When contacted, PTI Rawalpindi district president Arif Abbasi, who also attended the meeting, admitted that the party’s provincial chapter discussed ways to mobilise the people for the sit-in.

He said teams had been formed to visit all the constituencies in the districts to contact the people. “Obviously, there will be no musical programme during Muharram in the sit-in and Quran Khwani will be arranged instead.”

He said the party workers were already coming to the sit-in to listen to the speeches of Imran Khan for which a musical programme was not necessary.

Published in Dawn, October 15th , 2014