Pakistan Today

Qadri & Co: Once bitten, twice shy!

PAT, PML-Q, MWM and SIC turn down PTI’s invitation to attend Nov 30 rally

Say PTI did not brief them about motives behind the Nov 30 rally

PAT leaders wary of supporting Imran Khan because of his ‘unfulfilled promises’

The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) on Saturday announced not to participate in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) rally scheduled for Sunday in the federal capital.

A joint meeting of the leaders of the three parties was held in Lahore, wherein they discussed the invitation extended to them by PTI to attend the party’s November 30 rally in Islamabad.

After thorough deliberations, the leadership of the three parties decided not to attend the rally. They were of the opinion that PTI did not brief them about the motives and objectives of its scheduled public meeting.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, PAT leader Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said, “We are grateful to PTI for the invitation but it is not possible for us to participate in the rally.”

Gandapur said they were ready to cooperate with the PTI, but it was not possible for them to practically participate in PTI’s Islamabad show.

However, sources said that PAT is disenchanted with PTI Chairman Imran Khan because he “reneged on his promises made to PAT” before the August 14 rally and did not uphold the terms of the “London Plan”.

Earlier this year, PAT workers had to bear the harsh weather conditions during the party’s anti-government protest sit-ins whereas its ‘cousins’- the PTI workers and leaders – only participated in the ‘sit-in’ for a few hours every day. After the first day of the sit-in, Khan went to his Bani Gala residence to spend the night whereas Qadri remained steadfast in his container.

Sources said that according to the “London Plan”, Khan and Qadri were supposed to together give the call for the anti-government sit-ins in Islamabad on August 14, but Khan gave the call before Qadri assuming that the firebrand cleric would only be able to rope in “a few thousand supporters” for the march whereas PTI supporters would be no less than “a million”.

Sources also said that PTI lawmakers refused to resign from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, whereas earlier it was agreed upon between the PAT and PTI leaderships that PTI lawmakers would resign from the National Assembly as well as all provincial assemblies.

According to sources, another reason why PAT does not want to support PTI this time is because PAT workers had to bear the brunt of the capital police’s crackdown against the protesters in Islamabad as more PAT workers were admitted to hospital or jailed, as compared to PTI workers.

“In television footages, Khan can be seen urging his workers to move towards the Pakistan Television Headquarters,” said sources, adding that when protesters entered the PTV building, Khan disengaged himself from them.

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