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LAHORE: As the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid have opposed the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s plan to stage a sit-in outside the prime minister’s Raiwind residence on Sept 24, the PTI has said that it will not lay siege to the premier’s house and will announce the ‘exact location’ of the sit-in in a few days.
Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) also has not yet decided to participate in the PTI’s march on Raiwind.
“Imran Khan’s decision to march on the Raiwind residence of Nawaz Sharif is not right. I will talk to him about this and ask him to change the venue,” PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said here on Wednesday.
The PPP has also opposed the idea and asked Mr Khan to give it a second thought. “Our party opposes this kind of protest because it will set a bad precedent,” PPP leader Manzoor Wattoo told Dawn.
PPP, PML-Q oppose plan, advise Imran against solo flight
He said the PTI should take other opposition parties on board regarding the important decision. “Imran Khan must not take a solo flight.”
The PPP and the PML-Q had participated in the PTI’s recent Lahore rally.
PAT general secretary Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said: “The PTI has not consulted us over its Raiwind march. We will consider joining the march after receiving an invitation from the PTI,” he said.
Moved by the word of caution voiced by its allies, the PTI seems to be ready to change the venue of its sit-in.
PTI secretary general Jahangir Tareen has tried to dispel the impression that his party is going to march on the Raiwind residence of the prime minister.
“The party has not yet selected the ‘exact location’ of the sit-in. The party leadership will hold a meeting on Friday to finalise the venue,” he told Dawn.
Mr Tareen said Imran Khan had talked about marching on Raiwind and not on Mr Sharif’s residence. “Raiwind is a symbol... the PTI may stage a sit-in a few kilometres away from the prime minister’s residence.”
He said the PTI would take its allies on board regarding its decisions related to protest over Panamagate.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz workers gathered outside the Raiwind residence of the premier and vowed to “protect it from the PTI”.
Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2016
