LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s former information secretary and NA-130 candidate Shafqat Mahmood says everybody has the right to protest but the caretaker government may have more information about violence and terrorism threats.

Read: 300 PML-N workers arrested in crackdown

Speaking at a news conference here on Friday, he said the PML-N government, when in power, had tried every tactic to suppress the PTI’s movement against corruption. He said the PML-N had also blocked Lahore with containers after the Model Town incident in 2014. He said the PML-N government also allowed firing of rubber bullets and teargas on PTI workers.

“The PTI continued asking the PML-N government not to set traditions that it would also be facing in the days to come,” he said.

About Reham Khan’s book, Mr Mahmood said it was a sponsored project. He said the PTI knew about it for the past many months that it would be launched during general election days. He said Imran Khan’s opponents were always busy in speaking lies and tarnishing PTI chairman’s character.

Stating that his faith was also challenged besides implicating him in cases on charges of murder and terrorism, Mr Mahmood said “the Reham Khan book is a political stunt but it will not affect elections”.

At the press conference, PML-N’s UC-210 chairman Dr Amjad Natt, Chaudhry Jamil Billu and others announced joining the PTI.

Dr Amjad Natt said supporting PML-N after court judgment against Nawaz Sharif would tantamount to treason. He said that he had announced embracing PTI because only Imran Khan could drive the country out of plethora of crises.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2018