Imran draws thousands outside parliament - the news - dawn
Imran draws thousands outside parliament
Mumtaz Alvi
Sunday, August 07, 2011
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) staged an impressive Iftar-to-Sehr sit-in in front of the parliament here on Saturday as part of its ‘Remove the Government to Save Pakistan movement’.
PTI chairman Imran Khan was among thousands of party workers on the Parade Ground, which has now become a Hyde Park, where various political parties, civil society members and NGOs every now and then organise events to vent their feelings against the rulers and injustices.
Imran and his party workers had Iftari at the venue after which he spoke briefly to the congregation to welcome them and at the end delivered a speech after a group of comedians entertained the party activists, mimicking the style of different political leaders.
“Despite the month of fasting, people have gathered here in a large number and on August 13, there will be a sea (of people) against the corrupt rulers, who have compromised Pakistan’s sovereignty just for dollars to prolong their rule,” alleged the PTI chairman while speaking on the occasion.
During his speech, party workers chanted full-throated slogans: ‘who will save Pakistan, Imran Khan, Imran Khan’ and the ‘identity of four provinces, Imran Khan, Imran Khan’.
The PTI chairman said it was the duty of citizens to raise their voices against injustice and cruelty, price hike and corruption. He added the masses were paying a heavy price for the poor governance and corruption of the rulers, as POL prices continued to be hiked, resulting in inflation and erosion of purchasing power of the common man.
He mentioned the Karachi crisis and lamented Interior Minister Rehman Malik would reach the port city for reconciliation as if there was a dispute among political groups. “He behaves as if there is merely a political standoff, no importance being given to those being mercilessly killed,” he alleged.
A reign of aggression was going on in Balochistan and innocent people and personnel of the security forces were being killed in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and the corrupt rulers had allowed the US to unleash drone attacks on Pakistanis.
Imran spoke from a big stage erected close to the D-Chowk with a banner inscribed with slogans: ‘Remove the Government to Save Pakistan’, ‘Justice, Humanity and Self-Pride’.
Several PTI activists wore white shirt with an image of Imran Khan, having close similarity with freedom fighter Che Guevara and a line, reading, “Pakistan’s cornered tigers”. A separate enclosure was made for PTI’s female office-bearers and workers.
There was significant presence of women from Kutchi Abadis of the federal capital. Arrangement was also made for offering Taravih prayers. The event was well-organised and attracted between five to eight thousand people. The PTI will continue its sit-in till last Saturday of Ramazan.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=7945&Cat=13
ISLAMABAD: A large number of supporters of Tehrik-i-Insaf took part in a sit-in on Saturday evening at the Parade Ground facing the Presidency and the Parliament house. The people gathered at the ground under the slogan of “Hakoomat Hatao Mulk Bachao” (dismiss the government and save the country).
Men, women, children and the elderly gathered just before iftar where they broke their fasts with their party leader Imran Khan who sat in the crowd with the young and old surrounding him. Maghrib prayers followed later.
The stage was set high on containers arranged in the middle of the road in front of the permanent roadblock set up by the authorities during Gen Pervez Musharraf`s regime blocking the access to the Presidency.
Television crews captured the atmosphere from an elevated position as activists raised anti-government slogans and swayed the party`s red and green flag for cameras.
“Main to dekhoon ga”—the famous song by popular band Strings played from loudspeakers that further raised spirits in the crowds who cheered at every stanza in the lyrics.
Supporters who had come from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and central Punjab wearing T-shirts that read “Pakistan`s Cornered Tigers” and “United We Stand” chanted slogans “Imran teray jan nisar beshumar”.
No distance was far enough for a group of youngsters, students, professionals and entrepreneurs who had come all the way from Sialkot.
“We have gathered here for a cause that is bigger than any distance. We have seen a nationalist spirit in Imran Khan that is rare in many so-called leaders of Pakistan,” said Abdul Basit, a lecturer in a private university in Sialkot.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/08/07/imran-leads-sit-in-near-presidency-parliament.html
