LAHORE: Following violent clashes between Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers and the Punjab Police, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) said the PML-N government will be sent packing in the next six days.
“I don’t see this government surviving beyond Aug 14 owing to its ill-advised action across the province,” said PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry while talking to Dawn on Friday.
The PTI leader also lambasted the PML-N government for converting the province into a “jail” by barricading all entry and exit points.
He said the blockade was tantamount to usurping the rights of people. He said the government had turned Lahore into a battlefield and that the entire onus of the violence was on the Punjab government.
The PTI leader said he had asked all petrol pump owners to store fuel for Aug 14 and ensure its provision for the ‘Azadi March’ participants. “More than 50pc petrol pumps in the province belong to the PTI leaders and workers,” he added.
Condemning the government for registering a case against PAT Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri, Chaudhry said it was a shame that nobody was considering that PAT’s 16 workers had been killed and about 100 injured by the Punjab Police. He said a PTI delegation would participate in the PAT’s Youm-i-Shuhada gathering on Aug 10.
Meanwhile, the PTI has registered workers to protect party chief Imran Khan, leaders and participants of the ‘Azadi March’. The party had so far registered 4,000 workers and planned to enrol some 10,000 more.
At a news conference, PTI’s Central Joint Secretary Shabbir Sial said the party would not depend on security provided by the Punjab Police. He said the party would react to police action against its workers.
OPPOSITION LEADER: Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, said the National Defence Conference called by the prime minister as well as the government’s meetings with political leaders were just a “media stunt”.
At a workers’ convention in Iqbal Town, Rasheed and MNA Shafqat Mahmood said the ruling party was never serious about talks otherwise it would have never ignored PTI’s demands for over a year.
“The politics of containers, articles and sections cannot save the rulers from being pushed out of power this time.
The masses are sick of these corrupt rulers and will pack them in the same containers and send them to jail,” he added.
Rasheed also alleged some criminals were threatening party leaders and workers.
