Faisalabad tense amid PTI’s shutdown threat
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FAISALABAD: Activists of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N confronted each other here on Sunday as the textile city braced itself for a tense Monday declared by the former as the venue for launching its ‘Plan C’ protests against alleged vote fraud.
The PTI has announced its plan to paralyse the city and later expand its protests to Karachi and Lahore and eventually to the entire country.
Activists of the two parties who had gathered at what is virtually the city centre, the Clock Tower intersection, shouted slogans and pelted each other with tomatoes and eggs.
Also read:Political protests will be dealt in a political manner: Pervez Rashid
Club-wielding workers of both parties, led by their local leaders, were also there to support their sides. At one point when PML-N supporters started pushing and shoving their rivals, the PTI activists left the scene only to return after about half an hour.
The PTI squad surrounded the intersection and some of them tore down PML-N banners put up on the fence around the Clock Tower. A heavy police contingent was deployed in the area and District Coordination Officer Noorul Ameen Mengal and city police chief Sohail Tajik urged workers of both the parties to remain calm. Police also held a flag march on various roads.
Meanwhile, owners of public transport vehicles announced that they would ply their buses on Monday, ignoring the PTI’s protest call.
PM discusses with Punjab chief minister plan to cope with protest
At a press conference, their representatives Israr Ahmed, Mohammad Aslam and Mian Shahbaz said they would ensure protection of passengers. They praised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for building the motorway, Indus Highway and Coastal Highway and doubling the capacity of the GT Road and launching the Green Taxi, self-employment and Metro Bus schemes.
In Lahore, meanwhile, the prime minister held a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to discuss a plan to handle the situation. He is reported to have asked the chief minister to ensure that law and order was maintained in the city.
The chief minister said in a statement that every possible step would be taken to protect people’s life and property. He said no-one would be allowed to forcibly stop business activities.
In a related development, leaders of the PML-Q and Sunni Tehreek announced in the evening that they would support the protest.
Published in Dawn December 8th , 2014
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Comments (37) Closed
Dec 08, 2014 06:37am
We can only pray that IK leaves the politics of agitations and starts contributing something positive and constructive for the country. We are fed up with his continuing useless and pointless agitations.
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Dec 08, 2014 06:42am
Just saw the video of fazlur rahman being harresed in London, really hope this is the end of status quo and all leaders like NS Anp mqm, FR are shown the door
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Dec 08, 2014 07:12am
State must stop hooliganism with full force of law including arms. If state cannot remove unarmed hooligans from public places, , then there is serious doubt if they could save Pakistanis from armed enemies.
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Dec 08, 2014 07:16am
PMLN will burn the country rather than have an impartial inquiry to expose the election wrong doings. PMLN is playing the same role that Bhutto played in 1970.
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Dec 08, 2014 07:16am
"The chief minister said in a statement that every possible step would be taken to protect people’s life and property."
Where were you, Mr. CM, when the Christian couple was burnt alive? Where were you when PAT workers were killed in Model Town?
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Dec 08, 2014 07:21am
IK is entering Maffia politics. It will hurt him and the country. I always said that his downfall will be one day the influence of Sheik Rasheed as he is the Maffioso.
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Dec 08, 2014 07:27am
PMLN has always been the Kings Party and once they took care of the Jiyala's (already beaten down by them during Zia regime), they never had to see any political resistance, they ruled the province through their party worker police and hired bureaucracy. Now that they have to face a strong political rival they are making blunders after blunders. Incompetency in Punjab's management is evident in all the steps taken in last 6 yrs in general and 1 yr in special.
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Dec 08, 2014 07:46am
A failure
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Dec 08, 2014 07:59am
What to discuss! You have single point agenda to deal with such situations:
Batons & Bullets!
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Dec 08, 2014 08:08am
Faisalabad is sick of PMLN, fourth largest city of Pakistan is going to stand with Imran.
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Dec 08, 2014 08:23am
IK want anarchy and then power from backdoor..hard luck pakistan
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Dec 08, 2014 08:27am
He said no-one would be allowed to forcibly stop business activities.
Altaf Hussain se kyu darrte ho phir??? Hahahaha
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Dec 08, 2014 08:46am
Its the Judgment day for PTI. If the PTI succeed to shutdown Faisalabad, the 2015 will be the year of Election.
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Dec 08, 2014 08:56am
PTI, please show your strength and nail it
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Dec 08, 2014 08:56am
It indeed would be unfortunate if the protest at Faisalabad in not a success; since the industry sector has completely collapsed - there are no reforms or betterment seen ahead. When everything is yet so well exposed including the recent scandal of motorway project being handed over to Saifur Rehman and yet the public continue to sleep then- I can only feel sorry for the Nation who is determined not to change their destiny despite the fact that someone is there to support them!
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Dec 08, 2014 09:11am
Shut Down to Rebuild. ..
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Dec 08, 2014 09:18am
PTI going to play MQM'S role in PUNJAB
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Dec 08, 2014 09:32am
PTI terrorism is hearting the business big way. A few hundred miscreants can close any city because no one want to harm their business, children, and life.
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Dec 08, 2014 09:40am
@Shahid Malik .people are fed-up too with the government .Ask anyone in Faisalabad if the situation has gone better or worse since this government took over. Allah please help the people of Pakistan
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Dec 08, 2014 09:51am
@Dija The fact that the business community doesn't want the protest should tell you a lot. faisalabad has benefited greatly under Shahbaz Sharif as have all the cities of Punjab. The quick fix dharna schemes of Arab Spring type dreamers only brings anarchy and trouble. It seems that the majority of people in Pakistan have the common sense that eludes the PTI followers!
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Dec 08, 2014 10:00am
Why the government is scared let them to protest or investigate the rigged election 2013.
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Dec 08, 2014 10:22am
@Shahid Malik The people who contributing to the country what happened to them (AbdudlSatar Edhi etc etc) ??? Did Pakistan become successful after what they did for Pakistan. Imran Khan built Hospital, College etc... what else he should do ??? rather fixing issues of SYSTEM. Unless system not rectified Pakistan shall not grow. Why don't you do something for Pakistan ?? and want he should do it ? He is trying to fix real issues rather building a road at your home town. It easy to write anything .....
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Dec 08, 2014 10:29am
People here saying IKs always wanted anarchy and agitation. Are you guys serious or are you blind? If he wanted that he could have done that easily on Day 1 or by the end of the August when the pressure was maximum. He has been denied justice from everywhere. This is the last resort
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Dec 08, 2014 10:29am
3 months to lodge an FIR of 14 cold blooded murder, opening 4 constituencies for recount takes a life time, all the development in either Lahore or Islamabad (on purpose leaving every other part of the country). When such bullying behavior of the governing PMLN is the norm of the day then as humans we are left with no choice to stand up and take what is our.
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Dec 08, 2014 10:33am
@Shahid Malik shame on thinking like this, because of imran Pakistan have real chance of becoming a great country.where their is no nepotism no one
Family owning the country and might is right law
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Dec 08, 2014 10:34am
@Rajab Ali There is baton and bullets. It is PMLN workers who are Sick tired of this tirade. It is people of Faisalabad who said NO to shut down.
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Dec 08, 2014 10:35am
@Yar Nawab Looks like you have failed. Faisalabad is PMLN City and will always be.
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Dec 08, 2014 10:35am
@Amir Nope No Shut down what so ever. Wont let it happen, wont allow it and wont tolerate. Already all businesses are OPEN.
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Dec 08, 2014 10:45am
Meanwhile, PM met CM and asked him to ensure law and order was maintained, and then the CM ordered his Gullu Butts to ensure law and order was maintained... Genius Plan!
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Dec 08, 2014 11:17am
IK is dividing the nation. what a cruel agenda he has. Cannot he wait for five years? Cannot he actually do some work in KPK and set example for others? He has wasted all this time since elections. What a disgrace and failure if he understands.
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Dec 08, 2014 11:23am
@shoaib. It is next to impossible to get impartial people in Pakistan to look into Election wrong doings. All election disputes must be settle in courts. The constitution of Pakistan says:
225 Election dispute. No election to a House or a Provincial Assembly shall be called in question except by an election petition presented to such tribunal and in such manner as may be determined by Act of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament). Mr. Imran Khan has a question about 2013 Election. The proper thing for him to do is to consult his lawyers as to how to proceed in accordance with law about "Election disputes". The Sit-ins, Dharna, Jalsa. threats, shutting down cities may not achieve anything rather these acts will harm Pakistanis and they will be punished for something they have no part in it. All parties to the dispute should seek remedy in accordance with laws.
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Dec 08, 2014 11:36am
@Mrs. Khan Yes, he is dividing the nation into those for and against the status quo! Nothing wrong with that...
And no he should not wait for 5 years because he is not in a muk muka like the other political parties. Pakistan has been under thugs and corrupt leaders for the last 60 years...enough is enough!
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Dec 08, 2014 11:39am
@Abdul Qadir Mirza : You said "If the PTI succeed to shutdown Faisalabad, the 2015 will be the year of Election." My comments: If people of Faisalabad can take orders from one man and shut down their city, they do not need election. Let them be ruled by Imran Khan until another worrier gets rid of Imran Khan.
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Dec 08, 2014 11:42am
@emad it's not the end of the status quo, it's the beginning of delinquency. And PTIs hooligans don't even have the gall to stand in front of JUI leaders and run away on bikes and make cell videos, really brave there kids.
And PTI isn't a political rival, win/lose (lose is more realistic possibility because they have no evidence just baseless allegations, imaginary numbers, and fake arrested documents as their evidence) they aren't staying in politics because they don't even recognize the three branches of government. They believe in anarchy and dance parties as revolutions. Best part is that after spouting this nonsense he says they will wait till the next general elections, while still telling their lost sheep to breakdown the country economically and paint a picture of instability world wide with one stupid move after the other such as hundee, civil disobedience, and shutdowns to name a few. All failures just like PTIs core members (to which Imran khan himself admitted to yesterday) hence the need for a plan D which I'm sure is just as rediculous and half baked as the ones before.
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Dec 08, 2014 12:31pm
@Yar Nawab Its third largest city after Karachi and Lahore
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Dec 08, 2014 12:34pm
@Humza Only Lahore and businesses of Lahore has benefited in the time of Shahbaz. Shahbaz is actually Mayor of Lahore than the Chief Minister of Punjab.
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Dec 08, 2014 01:04pm
Shame on PTI...this party doesn't even desevre more than these 3 letters
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