LAHORE: As the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has decided to start an agitation again – this time against the “sky-rocketing inflation and economic meltdown” – asking the party

MNAs and MPAs to hold rallies at the district level, its Lahore chapter has planned only three rallies – one each on every Sunday.

It has been announced that party Chairman Imran Khan will join the protesters “in person” after three weeks.

As per the schedule announced for Lahore, the PTI organisations in Data Ganj Bakhsh, Samanabad, Ravi and Shalamar towns will take out a protest rally from Azadi Chowk to Chauburji on Jan 1 (Sunday).

The second rally will be organised by Allama Iqbal, Gulberg, Walton Cantt and Nishtar towns bodies from Thokar Niaz Beg to Chungi on Ferozepur Road on Jan 8 (Sunday), and the third one by Wagah, Aziz Bhatti and Lahore Cantt towns organisers from Harbanspura Chowk to Dharampura Chowk on Jan 15 (Sunday).

The PTI, however, organised mass protest rallies in Jehlum and D.G. Khan on Friday where the protesters chanted their favourite slogans -- “imported government na-manzoor”, “chor hakoomat na-manzoor”. They demanded early elections to “save Pakistan from political and economic crises.”

Similarly, across Punjab, the party will hold rallies at the districts level instead of constituency level, as formally announced by its senior leader Fawad Chaudhry.

The party will start its protest drive from Gujranwala on Dec 31, that will culminate in Sialkot on Jan 16.

Besides Lahore, the protest rallies will be organised at Multan, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad on Jan 1; Sialkot Jan 2, Attock Jan 3 and Jehlum on Jan 4 and 5.

The PTI will hold a protest demonstration at DG Khan on Jan 6 and Sheikhupura on Jan 7. The demonstrations will also be held in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi on Jan 8. Rallies in Sialkot and Gujrat will be organised on Jan 9 and 10, respectively.

On Jan 11, anti-inflation protests will be held at Jhelum, Gujranwala (Jan 12), Sahiwal (Jan 13) and Bahawalpur (Jan 14). On Jan 15, the demonstrations will be held in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi and in Sialkot on Jan 16.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2022