Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday postponed its May 8 Faisalabad public meeting citing concern for the safety of female attendees after women supporters were allegedly harassed at the party’s recent public gatherings. Party insiders, however, claim the real reason is a rift between party workers organising the event. PTI Chairman Imran Khan posted a statement to Facebook saying the public meeting had been postponed in light of the harassment of female attendees of the party’s gatherings in Islamabad and Lahore over the past month.

“I don’t trust the Punjab police” after women were harassed at PTI gatherings, he said, adding that plans to attack the women were a conspiracy to restrict their participation in politics. Khan implied his party is afraid the same will happen in Faisalabad. A source in the party, however said the Faisalabad public meeting had been postponed due to a rift between organisers of the event.

PTI organisers in Faisalabad have some differences with a party member appointed by Shah Mehmood Qureshi to organise the public meeting, the source said.

The differences between the organisers were so severe, the meeting had to be postponed, he said.