LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) says it has “no hard feelings” about refusal of any other opposition party to join its Raiwind march.

However, Awami Muslim League President Sheikh Rashid Ahmed appears to be utterly disappointed with the PPP, the PML-Q and Dr Tahirul Qadri’s PAT who are in no mood to join the PTI’s march.

PTI chairman Imran Khan’s efforts to woo the support of the PPP and PML-Q could not bear fruit though he called on Chaudhry Shujaat and also conveyed message to Bilawal Bhutto to join him in his effort to pressure Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to present himself for accountability in Panamaleaks.

“We have no hard feelings for any of the opposition parties for not being part of the Raiwind march. We are going there for a cause,” PTI’s senior leader Shafqat Mahmood told Dawn.

“All preparations have been made for the march and it will be getting difficult for the PML-N government with the passage of time not to pay heed to our demand of Panama probe,” Mr Mahmood said.

Although the PPP and the PML-Q have yet to formally respond to Imran Khan’s requests, sources say the PTI leadership may have read their ‘no’ from the statements of their leaders from time to time. Both opposition parties have categorically said that “holding protest outside any leader’s house will not set good precedent”.

Both parties have supported Mr Khan’s struggle against corruption. Dr Qadri has already distanced himself from the march, saying his workers may besiege the Jati Umra residence of Nawaz.

PML-Q Information Secretary Kamil Ali Agha told Dawn that the party leadership was meeting on Wednesday (today) and make a final decision about the march.

Expressing his disappointment over reports that other opposition parties are not joining the march, Sheikh Rashid commented: “It is better all bad eggs gather in one basket.”

Mr Rashid said Nawaz Sharif had no house -- neither in Islamabad nor anywhere in Pakistan. “If we are stopped (from the march), we will hold a sit-in,” he said.

Meanwhile, assessing the Punjab government’s mood after the arrest of farmers in Lahore, the PTI asked its workers to immediately inform them if they are stopped from leaving for Lahore march. “Police clampdown on farmers shows the Punjab government may stop our workers from reaching Raiwind,” Shafqat Mahmood said.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2016

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