RAWALPINDI, Oct 20: With a public rally organised for Gujar Khan, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is all set to show its strength in Rawalpindi district, which is also the home district of the prime minister.

Organisers of the party say that Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf would address the party and would kick off his people-to-people contact from his native town as a step towards mobilising masses ahead of the general elections.

“Yes it is going to be like an election rally and we are all set to draw around 100,000 supporters to the venue. Since Raja Pervez Ashraf would be returning to Gujar Khan for the first time since taking oath as Prime Minister. It is also a welcome rally for him,” information secretary PPP Rawalpindi Shujaat Haider Naqvi told Dawn.

Mr Ashraf is also coordinator PPP Rawalpindi Division and in the past has organised big rallies for the party in Rawalpindi at Liaquat Bagh, including the last public gathering in the public park in which former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007.

However, political observers and senior PPP leaders are of the view that the party is changing its focus from urban populace to rural areas as it seems difficult for the party to win a seat from urban areas of Rawalpindi.

“It makes no sense that you pull masses from thickly populated areas to a remote and isolated spot situated away from the city.

Why not Liaquat Bagh which is accessible to everybody?” Naheed Khan, a senior party worker complained.

People have been informed by organisers to gather at Liaquat Bagh from where they would be transported to Gujar Khan, while people from constituencies like NA-55, NA-56, NA-54 and NA-52 would also march towards Gujar Khan on transport managed by the party.

“For us Liaquat Bagh is like Larkana. We cannot surrender it to any other political force. People especially party workers love to come to Liaquat Bagh for the park is a memorable place for us. Here our leader was mercilessly killed by unknown assassins,” Malik Mazhar, an old party worker said.

Some party workers said that the PPP-led government even failed to build a monument on the assassination site of Benazir Bhutto, regretting that several federal ministers and senior party leaders avoid visiting the site on the death anniversary of Ms Bhutto.

But Amir Fida Paracha, city president PPP Rawalpidni city told Dawn that the change of venue for Sunday’s rally was not any deviation from the traditional Liaquat Bagh venue rather it was aimed at mobilising people in every nook and corner of Rawalpindi.

“Rawalpindi consists of seven National Assembly and 14 Provincial Assembly seats, so we cannot concentrate on only two seats by focusing on Liaquat Bagh. Yes this is a fact that we have always held public gatherings at the park but it is also a fact that we want more seats from Pindi,” Mr Paracha emphasised.

Our Correspondent from Gujar Khan adds: Gujar Khan city as well as the venue of Sawar Muhammad Hussain Shaheed stadium have been decorated and over 300,000 seats have been placed.

Residents of the area have pinned their hopes with the visit of the prime minister, expecting announcement of mega projects like establishment of poly technical college to produce skilled human resource, establishment of Potohar University and provision for an upgraded health facility.