ISLAMABAD: In reaction to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) announcement of a power show in Islamabad, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar expressed skepticism about the party being granted permission for the rally.
Speaking to a private TV channel, Tarar remarked, “Given their track record, I don’t believe they will be permitted to hold a rally in the federal capital.” Despite this, PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat remains resolute, declaring that the rally will proceed on Thursday regardless of the weather conditions.
Adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, confirmed that PTI founding chairman Imran Khan has resolved to hold the power show in Islamabad on August 22, following a lengthy struggle to secure permission. Saif assured that the party would strive to avoid any legal violations during the rally.
Tarar questioned the claim of the event being peaceful, noting past instances of PTI protests and asking which of their protests had ever been truly peaceful. He emphasized that being peaceful is not merely a claim but must be demonstrated through actions.
In response to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s insistence on holding the rally “come what may,” Tarar recalled similar past events, such as former KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak’s use of cranes and modern equipment to forcefully hold a rally. He also noted that despite Jamaat-e-Islami’s recent peaceful sit-in protest against inflated electricity bills, they were not allowed to enter Islamabad.
