As Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) pulls up its socks to hold a public gathering in Swabi on Saturday (February 8) exactly one year after the general elections, which were marred by allegations of massive rigging, were held in the country, there are reports that the party is short of funds required for an impressive power show, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday.
Sources told 24News TV channel that the situation had forced the party’s office-bearers, including PTI KP President Junaid Akbar, to shift the responsibility of the provision of funds to the party’s lawmakers.
Quoting the office-bearers, they informed that since the elected representatives received funds, they were in a better position to finance the public gathering.
However, the party’s KP president thinks otherwise, sources said, adding he strongly disagreed with the reports that the PTI was not able to attract people to its event in large numbers in the face of a shortage of funds.
He had directed the PTI lawmakers and office-bearers to ensure the success of the gathering come what may, they disclosed, adding Akbar had given special instructions to the Insaf Youth Wing for the purpose.
Similar reports of the paucity of funds have been received from Lahore where, too, the party plans to hold a public meeting on February 8 to register a protest against unprecedented rigging in the elections.
Moreover, sources revealed, not all PTI office-bearers and lawmakers from the city were taken into confidence prior to the announcement of the event as on that very day, Pakistan was due to face New Zealand at Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore in the first match of the tri-nation one-day internationals cricket series, and some of the party leaders thought it was not advisable to go ahead with the rally at the Liberty Chowk during the match.
On the other hand, senior Islamabad Police officials, who met with IGP Ali Nasir Rizvi in the chair on Thursday, decided to launch a crackdown on the PTI local leadership and workers ahead of the party’s likely protest in the federal capital on February 8.
Sources informed 24News TV channel that senior police officials had been assigned the task to make arrests.
In this connection, they disclosed, the officials had been directed to prepare lists of active leaders and workers.
Sources also revealed that several routes leading to the capital city would be closed before February 8 in order to prevent the entry of PTI workers.
Reporters: Tayyab Saif, Usman Khadim Kamboh and Muhammad Owais