Imran likely to reach Islamabad by helicopter on Nov 2

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan is most likely to land from a helicopter near Faisal Masjid on November 2 along with other key leaders, including Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Jehangir Tareen to lead the lock down of the federal capital.

A PTI insider told The News that Imran would fly to Peshawar next week to stay there for some days and then make a comeback for the first-ever event of its nature in Pakistan’s history to ‘either force the prime minister to step down or present himself for accountability with regards to PanamaLeaks’. He would land in the federal capital flying over Margalla Hills from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He explained that the party’s youth, both males and females would be encouraged to assemble from Faisal Chowk to Faisal Masjid to ensure smooth landing of PTI leadership, serving as a cushion between them and the security forces. Already, he added, the task force under local MNA Asad Umar had chalked out a strategy to lock down the federal capital, including main entry and exit points, in the shortest possible time.

“We will never be sitting ducks for the rulers. We have another option as well. But to us, what is most important is to keep our leadership away from the law-enforcement agencies and to avoid direct confrontation with them. Our protest will be massive, target-oriented and short,” he maintained without further explaining it.

He said PTI leadership had already made it clear to the workers and supporters that the upcoming event would not last for more than two weeks, being a decisive phase in the party’s long-continuing movement of accountability of the high and mighty sitting in the power corridors.

The party chairman will visit Dera Ismail Khan today (Sunday), the power base of JUI-F of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, where he will speak to a public meeting. Closely watching the situation back in Islamabad, it is learnt Imran will decide on which day to leave for Peshawar for a brief stay there before coming back for the final showdown with the government here.

Meanwhile, quoting PTI All European Chapter, a piece of information was shared on Whatsapp of PTI Print Media Friends that PTI overseas had decided to purchase a modern helicopter (Garmin model GTX 330-2015) for Imran. A decision to this effect was taken in today’s meeting. 

However, when this correspondent contacted Sibghatullah Virk of party’s Central Media Centre, expressed complete ignorance about such meeting or decision. He added that the PTI Overseas Chapter was being contacted in this connection. He termed the information on helicopter as incorrect.