Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Isnaf (PTI) leaders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) digging hard to unite its party workers for the Raiwand March as first ever train of PTI workers set out from Cantonment Railway Station for Lahore was almost empty.

The first train of Awami Express left from Peshawar at 9 AM on Thursday from Cantonment Railway Station under the leadership of district Peshawar Niab Nazim Qaim Ali Shah.

According to the officials of the Cantonment Railway Station most of the seats of the Awami Express, which left for the Raiwand March, were empty as the workers did reach to the plate form on time and the train left almost vacant.

The unity among the leaders and its party workers remain a big question mark when senior party leadership waiting for long hours at the platform of the railway station to ride maximum workers in the train but futile as workers seem dismal to join the caravan and attend the March.

Member of Provincial Assembly Fazal-e-Elahi rejected the claims of dismal condition of PTI workers to join the March.

While talking to Daily Times he said workers and supporters of PTI from the south region were vehemently waiting for the March and thousands workers and supporters from the Northern region were expected to join the March at Lahore by road via traveling from Kohat to Dera Ismail Khan Road.

He said the caravan from the south region will join the March under his leadership and claimed that workers have started journey to reach Kohat from far flung areas of the south region.

The caravan under the leadership of Chief Minister Parvaiz Khattak will begin its journey to join the Raiwand March by using Swabi route on Friday evening.

According to MPA Iftikhar Mashvani, workers and leaders of the Peshawar and Hazara region including Mardan, Swabi, Charsadda, Hazara, Mansehra and Malakand division will meet in Sawabi Friday evening and start journey by road to join the Raiwand March.

The Niab Nazim of District Peshawar, who had left early in the Thursday morning from Peshawar Cantonment railway station, was the first train from KP left for the march.

MPA Yasin Khalil told this scribe that huge caravan of the PTI supporters and some of the MPAs will start journey towards Lahore on Friday late night from Warsak Road Peshawar.

He said that thousands workers under his leadership will participate in the Raiwand March by road.

However, Women Wing of the PTI would not participate in the Raiwand March due to improper transport arrangements and long hours traveling complications.

Long hour traveling from Peshawar to Lahore deprived thousands of women of the party from Raiwand March participation leader from the women wing said after requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, senior PTI lawmakers told this scribe on the condition of anonymity that arrangements for the women were bestowed to chief minister but he failed to meet the traveling arrangements for the women workers of the party.

MPA Arif Yousaf will lead anther separate caravan of PTI workers for the March from Peshawar Cantonment on Friday 9 AM via train. He said the workers from district Peshawar will be gathered at Railway Station at the evening and the train will leave for Lahore today (Friday) at 9 AM.

Almost all senior PTI lawmakers from KP attempted to clinch more and more party workers in his caravan and show off his power through influx of workers. But the workers of the party were not much interested in the March as they were in the Islamabad Dharna.

A PTI worker from Peshawar Suleman Ali told Daily Times that the tension on the border has created the spell of unity among the nation and it does not suit to hold Dharnas and Marchs.

He said that earlier he was eager to attend the March but now he had decide to quit for larger national interest.