Imran Khan postpones Faisalabad rally

Decision taken in wake of harassment incidents; sources say grouping in party is the cause

ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan on Wednesday first cancelled his May 8 public meeting in Faisalabad and then rescheduled it for May 20.

Dismayed by incidents of harassment of women during the PTI’s Ialamabad public meeting and last Sunday’s show of power in Lahore, the PTI chairman reportedly cancelled the planned rally in the industrial city. Imran had said that they could not trust the Punjab Police.

However, it was announced in the evening that the rally would now be held on May 20 while on May 9, Imran will address a public meeting in Peshawar and then in Bannu on May 11. It is pertinent to mention here that the JUI-Fazl organised a public meeting for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who delivered a fiery speech, hitting out at the opposition, particularly the PTI and its leadership.

PTI sources revealed to The News that the Faisalabad programme was initially cancelled because of grouping in the party and resentment in the local party ranks over the naming of local leader Khurram Shahzad as the organiser of the public meeting.

However, now a six-member committee consisting of Asif Tausif, Assad Moazzam, Khurram Shahzad, Fazlullah, Javed Niaz and Naeem Azim has been formed to arrange the planned public meeting.