PTI all set for Islamabad shutdown

Author: shamshad mangat

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has reportedly completed its homework to stage a massive protest in the federal capital on November 2.

According to the plan, PTI workers will not block any road that can adversely affect the general public.

Moreover, a passage will be left open for vehicles of welfare organisations and ambulances at every square where the workers will be staging the sit-in.

The workers have been told to remain peaceful in case of any highhandedness shown by the government until orders are received from the central leadership to act otherwise. The party leadership has decided that they will block only those passages that can create problems for the government.

Meanwhile, the PTI leadership has refuted reports of talks between the party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership.

Talking to Daily Times, PTI’s central leader Naeemul Haq said the government was confused over this sit-in, and was spreading such reports.

“Neither the interior minister nor any other government functionary has contacted us,” he said. He went on to say that holding the hearing of the Panama case a day before the sit-in was a good thing because the case was earlier fixed for hearing on November 2. He said that the honourable court had “facilitated us and the government so that we can appear” before the court on November 1.

Naeemul Haq said that the party’s sit-in was against corruption and it will be a peaceful one. “We will remain peaceful until the government remains peaceful. Our workers will not block any passage that affects the common man.”

On the other hand, the government has summoned 15,000 police personnel from Punjab and Kashmir to maintain law and order.

These law enforcers will camp in the sports complex from November 1, while a letter has already been written to the sports complex administration in this regard. The expenses – to be incurred on them for dealing with the protesters – are estimated to be Rs 500 million. A summary in this regard has been sent to the Interior Ministry.