RAWALPINDI: The Independence Day celebrations and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI)’s planned march on Islamabad on August 14 failed to unite the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders in the city.

The Rawalpindi chapter of the PML-N, which is being patronised by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, was not invited to an Independence Day function held at former MNA Hanif Abbasi’s house on Sunday.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid attended the event to formally inaugurate the Independence Day celebrations announced by the PML-N government.

However, during the visit of the federal minister, the division in the local leaders of the ruling party became exposed. Only MNA Malik Abrar and former MPA Ziaullah Shah were present at the function.

Another group, led by Sardar Naseem and patronised by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, remained absent.

The party’s Pindi city chapter, patronised by Chaudhry Nisar, not invited to celebrations held at Hanif Abbasi’s residence

The party’s city chapter on Sunday announced that the Independence Day celebrations would start at the Rawalpindi Arts Council from Monday.

Punjab Minister for Labour and Manpower and head of the Independence Day Celebrations Committee Raja Ashfaq Sarwar will inaugurate the events.

A senior PML-N leader acknowledged the division in the party and said the local leaders had failed even to gather at one place.

He said the party leaders were arranging separate functions instead of organising joint gatherings just to show their strength. “The local rifts reflect the division of the party’s upper leadership. The point scoring has been visible during the last few days. The party was supposed to arrange functions at its office,” he said.

It may be mentioned here that the PML-N federal and Punjab governments have announced that month-long Independence Day celebrations will be held to engage citizens so that they avoid attending PTI’s Azadi March.

The local administration had also been asked to arrange functions throughout the month. All departments will spend their own funds on these functions and there would be no additional allocations.

When contacted, former MNA Malik Shakil Awan said he and Sardar Naseem were not invited to the function at Hanif Abbasi’s house.

He said the party’s city chapter had started Independence Day celebrations on August 1 with hoisting the national flag at Rawal Town Municipal Administration offices.

He said Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique had also been invited by the PML-N city chapter. “We will invite all party workers and leaders to attend the functions without any discrimination. However, party leaders will attend the functions without any invitation,” he said.

On the other hand, Hanif Abbasi told Dawn that the function at his residence was attended by all main leaders of the PML-N, including MNA Malik Abrar, Ziaullah Shah and some women parliamentarians.

“We arranged the function of local party workers and Federal Minister Pervaiz Rashid accepted the invitation to attend the event to boost up the morale of the workers.”

He said more functions would be held in different areas and there would be no division in the party.

Published in Dawn, Aug 4th, 2014