PTI local leaders offended after Gujrat rally

E-Paper | March 12, 2026

GUJRAT: Local leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf from the district are offended by the senior party leadership over treatment they received in the Oct 24 public meeting as half of the total 12 ticket holders were not allowed to sit on the main stage with Imran Khan while those present there were not allowed to even shake hands with the party chief before, at, or after the rally.

Sources in the party said before the arrival of the party chief at the Zahoor Elahi Cricket Stadium a senior party leader had issued special instructions to the PTI men from Gujrat, present at the main stage, regarding protocol which they did not like.

This had earlier been decided that most of the party ticket holders would take the main stage with Imran Khan but the district president reportedly changed the list at the eleventh hour by eliminating some names, including that of district secretary general Sharafat advocate, who was also a ticket holder from PP-113 Dinga.

Former Caretaker Chief Minister Mian Afzal Hayat, Chaudhry Saleem Sarwar Jaura, Raja Naeem Nawaz, Afzal Gondal and Nasir Chappar were the only ticket holders that were present on the stage.

One of the former ticket holders of the PTI, on condition of anonymity, said the callous attitude of the senior party leadership had disappointed local cadres of the party.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2014

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Rajab Ali

Oct 26, 2014 11:53am

IK should take this matter seriously. There should be no place for nepotism in the PTI otherwise there would be no difference between PTI and the ones he is struggling against!

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rehan

Oct 26, 2014 12:00pm

This is not the first time he is doing this. At the end of the day he always promotes the more wealthy candidates and the one that are more popular all over. He has little sense for equality. He lets a joker like Sheik Rasheed on the stage that has never done any thing for PTI except promote hooliganism and cheap talk and gives him more respect than any other worker.

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bilal

Oct 26, 2014 12:01pm

@Rajab Ali , correction !, there IS no difference between him and the other self serving idiots . But if you still want to dream on, that is your right . : )

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Raghu

Oct 26, 2014 12:05pm

on condition of anonymity.....why anonymity. You are in PTi, you should have the courage to speak up. Coz IK listens to everyone and if you have a valid point, your point will be accepted. I still remember the stage of Multan. It was exploding. Good that they did not allow more than 25 people on stage.

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Helipad

Oct 26, 2014 12:12pm

Nothing to get offended. They don't want to overcrowd the stage, that's it. Stop crying and get back to work.

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A Ali

Oct 26, 2014 12:36pm

being an outright and die hard fan of PTI, even I do not like this attitude...... unless its a media gimmick to play down PTI's ever increasing popularity ....... entire nation and in particular PM is bedazzled with sheer and overwhelmingly monstrous and dazzling response PTI received in Gujrat.

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Khalid

Oct 26, 2014 12:37pm

What a hypocrisy, he is not in the Government yet, shame on the senior member leadership, what is the difference between his party and others

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Danish Haider

Oct 26, 2014 01:09pm

PTI leadership should be vigilant on these issue otherwise PML-N, as part of their usual politics, do everything thing to widen the gap.

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A Sidhu

Oct 26, 2014 02:03pm

Ppl who claim to be fighting against protocol ( status quo ) now want the same protocol for themselves. They are all the same.

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Imran Khan

Oct 26, 2014 02:08pm

After the multan incident, PTI leadership had decided in their core committee that more than 12 people will not be allowed on the stage. So why crying???

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Pakistani

Oct 26, 2014 02:51pm

What a big issue. Don't you have anything better to report. Its PTI internal issue and they can sort it out. They set Stage protocol after a lot of mistakes. Kuch panay ke liay kuch kona partah hai.

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M Arshad

Oct 26, 2014 04:06pm

Are these supporters (who are complaining) are in this movement for the sake of just and respect for the nation and the country. I have no doubt most workers, members and supporters will work hard for above without complaining, as for those who have become unhappy, I trust they will see the big picture, remember stage is not big enough for everyone to be standing at. Your reward will be far bigger than this if you maintain your sincerity to your struggle.

Recommend 0

Oct 26, 2014 04:30pm

Good decision for not letting everyone on the stage. Locals need to be organized better and focus on the bigger picture.

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rizwan

Oct 26, 2014 04:55pm

@Raghu Really? You should talk to Jawed Hashmi about that.

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rizwan

Oct 26, 2014 04:59pm

Imran Khan will have you all saying Heil Hitler (or some local version of that). Because trust me when i tell you, this man is not very different from him. His followers aren't very different either.

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Aly khan

Oct 26, 2014 05:06pm

Dawn is very quick in finding anything against Imran khan and pti no matter how menial it is This is not professional journalism Readers are much more clever than the journalists think and see through the anti pti agenda which adds to the popularity Of pti rather than the intended defame

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mehmood

Oct 26, 2014 05:15pm

does other political masters do something different.

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Harmony

Oct 26, 2014 05:47pm

@bilal - Yeah, its better to dream on with Zardari and Nawaz ruling families who can't even look beyond their own children.

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mehmood

Oct 26, 2014 06:01pm

@Aly khan yes most of dawn article shows the same trend.

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A.Mirza

Oct 26, 2014 06:18pm

I bet this is Shah Mahmood Qureshis idea-hate that guy!

Recommend 0

Oct 26, 2014 06:46pm

A leader who does not connect with grassroot workers won't go very far. I understand its not always possible to do so due to schedule pressures. I would recommend IK to issue a statement to soothe frayed nerves and maybe make more time the next time he visits. Just my thoughts.

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Ikhlas

Oct 26, 2014 07:47pm

That's the reason PTI workers are leaving and joining PAT because TUQ has a vision and very organized. PAT will rule Punjab.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 26, 2014 09:04pm

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

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Taimoor

Oct 26, 2014 10:29pm

@Bilal, Only a severely mentally handicapped individual would not be able to see difference between IK and the likes of Nawaz and Zardari!

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melb

Oct 26, 2014 10:36pm

nothing to be offended off. stage should be controlled fully rather then being unsafe for all so its not more of a protocol issue rather administrative issue.ppl who said that, they are not happy by it..are ill minded, if they cant understand tht even

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Jawad

Oct 27, 2014 12:59am

Should not happen like this. Ok-- no seats on the stage but not to be allowed to talk to him? Or shake hands?( is it being exaggerated? ) And I'm a strong supporter of IK --- but--?? --- IK has to address these issues -- soon --- On the flip side --- one should remember that overcrowding the stage-- IK almost got killed -- so the locals should understand this . And the time factor- that he has to get back to Islamabad Can they make the stage bigger and more stable? IK need to be very careful as he's been watched closely.

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Noodle

Oct 27, 2014 01:54am

PTI is not even in power and the factions have started to form. Parties can't be run by one individual.

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Jawad

Oct 27, 2014 01:55am

@Taimoor No need to be personal but there are a lot of people who want the status quo to continue--- they are people with vested interests , family's , baradaries etc. and they all are hiding behind the argument of democracy and constitution--- just like the corrupt current lot if PPP / PMLN politicians. Then there may be some( very few ) who truly believe that argument ---- not one of them ( people I talk to ) has ever tried to tell me that Zardari or sharif brothers are not corrupt ---- That's where the problem is --- when everybody knows they are corrupt -- then why support them ? Unless of course you have vested interests ! Otherwise supporting a thief makes you a thief too. And the argument that -- we are supporting democracy not NS ---- they really think people are stupid???

Recommend 0

Oct 27, 2014 06:51am

Keep up with the good work.Always bring the negative aspect

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Oct 27, 2014 06:52am

@Aly khan well said

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