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LAHORE : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) displayed a strong show of power at Minar-e-Pakistan, as thousands of party supporters and workers from all over the country gathered at the Greater Iqbal Park.
Senior party leaders Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkha Pervaiz Khattak, former Punjab governor Ch Sarwar, Senator Faisal Javed, MNA Shireen Mazari, PTI Balochistan President Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind, KP Speaker Asad Qaiser, Fawad Chaudhry and others attended the rally.
Starting with national anthem, Khan said today he will give the nation an 11-point agenda for a "Naya Pakistan". PTI chief vowed to fight till the last drop of his blood for the rights of Pakistanis.
Explaining how the country is being ruined and put under debt trap, PTI chairman blamed previous governments for the precarious economic situation.
PTI chairman Imran Khan outlined a 11-point reforms programme to usher in a new era of prosperity as he contemplates for the country after coming in power.
Imran's 11-point programme
While promising to establish 20 new universities in the country, Imran said; “35 million children study in government schools. Half of Punjab’s budget is being spent on Lahore [alone]. He asked Shehbaz Sharif that how many international-level universities he has established."
He added that countries don’t flourish because of the roads and bridges, but when you spend on human development,” Imran lashed out at the present government, adding that the PTI will “invest maximum on the development of the people, on one education system in Pakistan.”
Self-Reliance via Revenue Generation:
Imran Khan said his party would improve system of taxation in the country and will make economic reforms to make Pakistan a self reliance country. He added; "We don't have money to run countries, we're under heavy debts. I claim in front of you today that I will show you how to gather money from this nation."
Corruption Free Pakistan:
Promising to eradicate corruption from Pakistan, PTI chief cited the example of his decision to expel 20 MPAs from his party for “selling votes” in the Senate elections earlier this year, Imran promised the people he will make Pakistan corruption free.
“We will stop money laundering, we will strengthen the NAB and FBR,” he added.
The PTI chief said that he will never let anyone steal the public finances while urging the nation to support him in his “war against the corrupt leadership” of the country.
To Open New Vistas of Investment
In his speech, PTI chief said his party will revamp investment policy to attract giant investors in the country. He termed overseas Pakistanis as the biggest investing potentials for the country and resolved to bring a huge investment into Pakistan.
“We will reduce the tax on electricity and gas for our industries so that they could compete with Indian market,” Imran said.
Employment
To eradicate unemployment from the country Imran promised the youth much better employment opportunities, Imran said he would especially focus on boosting the tourism industry of Pakistan.
Imran Khan also rpomised to build 5 million homes for the poor, which would create jobs and stimulate the economy.
Agriculture Emergency:
Addressing a massive rally, Imran said he would improve agriculture and the lives of farmers on ‘an emergency basis.’
“Farmers work for the whole year and get nothing in the end. They are being exploited by the sugar mill mafia,” said PTI chief.
He said to bring policy for farmers after which they will get would get cheap loans.
Strengthening The Federation
Imran promised to bring Fata into mainstream to strengthen the federation.
He said after coming in power his party will announce southern Punjab province on administration basis.
“We know how the injustice is being done to smaller provinces. I know more about Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.
He said his party will introduce KP's local govt system across Pakistan, adding that they will directly elect mayors of big cities and devolve power so that people wouldn't have to run after MPAs and MNAs for development funds.
To Promote Tourism & Environment
Imran said the environment was a priority on the party’s manifesto, adding that PTI will specially focus on Pakistan's tourism industry.
“For the first time ever, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government paid special attention to the environment,” he said, adding that the party plans to plant 10 billion trees across Pakistan.
“We can even clean the rivers,” he added.
To Improve Police and Justice System
PTI chief stressed the importance of justice and the police system.
Highlighting the significance KPK police he said that KP police is totally depoliticized, adding that there’s no victimization via FIRs, not a single extrajudicial killing in the province while in Sindh Rao Anwar murdered 400 people.
He asked; "Have you ever heard people raising slogans of zinda bad for police? it happens in KP only. But Inshallah there will be a day, people of Punjab will also say "Punjab Police Zindabad".
Women Empowerment Through Education
Imran Khan said that to educate a woman means to educate a family, adding that his party has an extensive program for women empowerment.
“Whatever I am today, it’s all because of my mother who made me a patriotic person and raised me to be a truthful person.”
Every one out of the three new schools in KP belong to women. "We'll strengthen them to access police help easily by making women police stations." He added that his party will legally bound people to give their women inheritance share which is their right.
Khan promised to establish a fairer society that will steer Pakistan towards a path of the father of the nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmod Qureshi termed Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari two sides of same coin. Qureshi said voters have tried Sharif thrice but no change was seen and only Imran Khan and PTI are capable to bring the real change in people’s lives.
Taking a jibe at Nawaz Sharif's 'friendship' with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mazari said Sharif has no pain for innocent Kashmiris and only cared for his interests.
Addressing the rally, Rind said 'whenever Lahore made a decision whole Pakistan has followed it'. 'Today I see a new Pakistan in the making,' he added.
Awami Mulsim League chief Sheikh Rasheed demanded to shoot all the corrupt people to cleanse the country of corruption. Today is a great game underway against Pakistan Army to malign its image but we will not let it happen, he vowed.
Talking to Geo News, Jahangir Tareen said public response on our call is massive and overwhelming despite hot weather in the city. This is the trust people have shown in Imran Khan, he added.
Imran Khan has vowed to make today's rally a historic one and called upon the supporters to join him in big numbers. PTI's October 2011 rally at the same venue stunned Khan's detractors when thousands of people attended the jalsa, which, according to political observers was one of the biggest rallies held in the city over the past two decades.
Khan announced to give a new 10-point agenda for 'Naya Pakistan' in his today's speech. There were some media reports claiming that some bigwigs from PML-N and PPP are expected to join the party. Ch Nisar Ali Khan, who is unhappy with Nawaz Sharif over his anti-judiciary narrative, had to clarify that he is not joining PTI.
Addressing a press conference at the venue on Saturday evening, PTI Vice President MPA Shoaib Siddiqi and other leaders, including Senator Faisal Javed, Iftikhar Durrani and Aisha Chaudhry, alleged that hundreds of vehicles were being impounded by police on the roads leading to Lahore from other districts of Punjab.
They warned if the rulers did not desist from obstructing the peaceful holding of the public meeting, entire responsibility of law and order would rest on the shoulders of the rulers.
They said they had held several meetings with the district and local administrations, and police, informing them about the complete details of the arrangements at the venue, including stage, entry gates and boundaries of the venue.
The PTI leaders claimed to have placed 50,000 chairs, and different sections of district and tehsil leaderships were given targets of bringing maximum participants.
They alleged that the ruling party’s 'Gullu Butts' were ruining all of their peaceful arrangements for the public meeting. They said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had always maintained peace and tranquility, but warned that if their workers were pushed to the limits, no guarantee of peace could be given.
They said separate entry gates were set up for men and women, while parking arrangements were made at the bus stand. They said food and water arrangements were made in plenty to maintain peace and discipline among the participants. They said women would reach the venue through the road from the railway station.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf central Punjab President Abdul Aleem Khan alleged that official machinery was being used to obstruct and harass the PTI workers from peacefully participating in the public meeting.
He hoped that Lahorites and the PTI Junoon would defeat all those opposing peaceful political change in the country and the forces of the status quo.
Citizens should make maximum use of Ring Road for their movement: Roy Ejaz Ahmed
The way will be kept clear for ambulances and other emergency vehicles: Roy Ejaz Ahmed
Open routes for traffic
1- Lahore Rung Road, Lower Mall Road, Outfall road are open for all types of traffic
2- Mall Road, Jail Road, Canal Road and Ferozpur Road are open for all kinds of traffic.
3- The road from Shahdra Chowk to Old Ravi Bridge are also open for traffic.
Alternate routes
1- Traffic from Mall Road, Secretariat to Shahdra Chowk can now move from Zila Kutchehry Chowk to Outfall Road and from Saggian to Rung Road and AlSaeed Chowk.
2- For going from Shahdra Chowk to Lower Mall and Mall Road, citizens can use the routes from Saggian Outfall Road to Kutchehry Chowk via Rung Road.
Heavy traffic will be diverted from following points to alternate routes:
1-Kala Shah Kaku, 2- Kot Abdul Malik, 3- Faizpur Inter-change, 4- Dosako Chowk, 5- AlSaeed Chowk, 6- Shahdra Chowk, 7- Begum Kot Chowk and 8- Barkat Pali
Parking arrangements
Greater Iqbal Park, Forests Department Parking, Nasir Bagh Parking, Mochi Gate Parking, Kashmiri Gate Parking, Maulana Ahmed Ali Parking (single lane), Datanagar Parking (single lane)
Manpower detail
11 DSPs, 48 inspectors, 90 patrolling officers and 710 traffic wardens will perform duty under supervision of SP Traffic Saddar Division Sardar Asif Khan and SP City Division Asif Siddiq.
18 folk lifters 2 breakdowns and 4 traffic squads will also be deployed for preventing wrong parking.
People will be briefed moment to moment for guidance and facilitation through ‘Apps way’ and City traffic radio FM 88.6.
Citizens can contact Police Helpline 15 for alternate traffic plan and guidance.
Note: No parking will be allowed elsewhere except the parking.
The participants of the rally are requested to cooperate with traffic police.