LAHORE: Although the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is still trying to woo the opposition parties for its Sept 30 Raiwind march none has so far promised even to make a symbolic presence at the venue located a couple of kilometers away from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s residence.
The PPP and PML-Q have earlier been showing indecision on their participation pleading that their respective leadership are yet to hold consultations.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday visited PMLQ’s Chaudhry Shujaat, who was the first to object to the venue opposing politicking outside homes of rivals, in a bid to convince the former prime minister change his opinion assuring that no PTI activist would go close to the Sharifs’ residence.
But Shujaat refused to buy the argument declining to even send a delegation for symbolic participation.
Sh Rashid’s AML may be seen at Raiwind show
The PML-Q had been on the forefront both in the Sept 3 Shahdra to The Mall rally and the 2014 Islamabad sit-in.
The PPP with the support of other opposition parties has tabled an anti-corruption bill in the Senate the other day to seek a probe into the Panama Leaks. But PPP-backed Opposition Leader in National Assembly Khurshid Shah evaded a direct reply when asked if the PPP would join the march purportedly being taken out on the Leaks issue.
“It’s not our policy to lay a siege to any rival’s home.”
About the symbolic participation, he said only if the central leadership decided so. He confirmed that they haven’t yet been formally contacted for joining the Sept 30 event.
Dr Tahirul Qadri-led Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) also turned down the PTI’s request for joining the Raiwind march.
Dr Qadri, presently in Europe to move international forums in the case of killing of 14 PAT activists by the Sharifs two years ago, has already distanced himself from it, fearing that frustrated at not getting justice in the Model Town tragedy his workers might besiege the prime minister’s Raiwind residence.
However, the PAT had been promising to make at least a symbolic presence provided invited formally. On Tuesday, party’s general secretary Khurram Gandapur said they were not even sending a delegation to the protest march as, what an insider said, the PAT had neither been formally invited nor consulted for the event.
The Jamaat-i-Islami, which is also launching an anti-corruption drive, is also not joining the protest as it is holding its own public meeting in Faisalabad against alleged corruption of the rulers when the PTI will be holding the show in Raiwind.
Now to the consolation of Imran Khan only Sheikh Rashid-led Awami Muslim League will be the party other than the PTI to be seen at Adda Plot, 3-km from the Sharifs’ palatial Jati Umra residence, on Sept 30.
Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2016