Daily Times

LAHORE: The provincial leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday assured that they would hold the November 2 protest in Islamabad at any cost, asserting that sacrifice of Pervez Rasheed is not enough to resolve the national security breach issue.

Former Punjab governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, MPA Dr Murad Rass, and senior PTI leader Jamsheed Iqbal Cheema claimed that fate of nation would change after ‘Islamabad lockdown’, adding that “party leaders are ready to combat state violence with courage”.

PTI leader Jamsheed Iqbal Cheema said in a statement that sacrifice of information minister was no justification for such a serious charge and there should be action against Pervez Rashid under the law. Cheema further stated that names of all responsible persons involved in the breach of national security meeting must be trailed and enrolled into the exit control list.

Meanwhile, Ch Sarwar asked as to why Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was scared if PTI was a weak political party? “We will face violence and arrests with courage and nobody can hamper our determination,” he said, adding that the November 2 protest would be held despite dictatorial behaviour of the government.

Use of state machinery is a norm in dictatorship not democracy, he said, adding that PTI was fighting for democracy and supremacy of constitution. He suggested the rulers not to compel PTI leadership and workers to take law in their hands. He said if government would use violence against workers, then the PTI leadership would not ask them to remain tolerant.

“PML-N knows that one million people will participate in the protest in a bid to eradicate corruption and bad governance from Pakistan. Our struggle will be peaceful but the government is pushing us to the limit,” he asserted.

Sarwar reiterated that the government was infringing the democratic right of people by stopping them from protesting, which was against the essence of democracy.

MPA Dr Murad Rass said that Imran Khan would lead the nation against the corrupt and so-called democrat rulers on November 2, adding that all PTI workers were backing Imran Khan and would continue to struggle until justice is served.