KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday changed the venue of its April 19 rally to Shahrah-i-Pakistan from the Jinnah ground neighbouring the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters Nine Zero, announcing that the decision was made only to allow more people to participate.

PTI candidate for NA-246 by-poll Imran Ismail said the party was neither under pressure to change the much-publicised venue nor had it reached any deal with the MQM.

“There was a consideration that the place around the Jinnah ground could become congested in view of a big turnout at the rally,” he told reporters. “So we have decided to move to Shahrah-i-Pakistan for the rally which will be addressed by Imran Khan, who is likely to arrive here on April 18.”

He insisted that the PTI faced no problem in holding the rally in the Jinnah ground but the venue was changed after consultation within the party. He also said that the PTI wanted to keep the political temperature low during the election campaign.

“We have not reached any deal with MQM to change the venue,” he said in response to a question.

“Neither are we under pressure from any side. We are doing our campaign, which is going quite well.

“We have also requested the Jamaat-i-Islami to withdraw its candidate from NA-246,” he said.

Meanwhile, the MQM on Saturday cancelled its rally “to ensure peace and harmony” in the Azizabad constituency keeping in view the rallies of other parties contesting the by-election.

“As candidates of other parties are holding their election rallies in the constituency, the MQM has decided to cancel its rally today to ensure maintenance of law and order and harmony as per MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s policy of peace and love,” said an MQM spokesman.

Earlier, the MQM announced that it would hold an election rally from Ayesha Manzil, which would go to Dak Khana, Shahrah-i-Pakistan, Yousuf Plaza before ending at Azizabad’s Jinnah ground. Mr Hussain was scheduled to make a telephonic speech from London to the party men at the Jinnah ground.

Earlier, sticks and stones were used in the late Friday night clash between workers of the Jamaat-i-Islami and the MQM during the election campaign, leaving some people injured and vehicles damaged.

The police said the ‘code of conduct’ set by the Election Commission of Pakistan was being violated by the parties contesting the NA-246 by-poll.

“We have written to the Election Commission after the recent episode where the contesting political parties were seen challenging each other on streets,” DIG-West Feroz Shah told Dawn in reply to a question.

Obviously, he added, the code of conduct had been designed for the political parties to follow and if it’s being violated the political parties were defying that.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2015

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