ISLAMABAD
While PTI is embarking to extend its protest against alleged massive election rigging away from the Constitution Avenue of the capital, the strength and momentum of its support at the sit-in venue has fizzled out.
The sit-in of Imran Khan these days presents a deserted look during the day timings till the evening when a low number of locals come at the venue.
And perhaps this is the main reason that PTI chief Imran Khan has announced to extend its protest to other big cities as his supporters have started losing interest to remain present at the D-Chowk.
Unlike the last couple of weeks, the strength of PTI’s supporters at the D-Chowk has drastically decreased from the start of this week that will end with the start of the Eidul Azha celebrations.
Though PTI leadership is looking satisfied for pulling a good crowd in its rally held on last Sunday in Lahore, yet the drastic decrease in the crowd during the present week here at the Constitution Avenue has caused uneasiness in the lines of the party, a party source said.
A participant of PTI sit-in while standing at the sit-in venue told this scribe said that most of the protestors belonging to different parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab have returned to their homes ahead of the Eid.
Now the local supporters of PTI from the twin cities only attend the sit-in for an hour or two before the speech of PTI chief Imran Khan at night.
He said that protestors perhaps understood that there would be heavy rush at the bus stands of the capital ahead of the Eid as most of the residents of the capital moved towards their home town to the celebrate Eids.
Earlier in the last more than 45 days, it was routine that few hundred protestors of PTI used to remain at the venue during the day timings while Imran also used to give his appearance at the container during day timings. However, from the last more than two days, the number of PTI protestors has decreased from hundreds to dozens during the day timings.
And similarly, Imran Khan these days has stopped appearing from his container during the day timings and no other leadership of the party is present at the container during the day timings.
The organizers of PTI following the sit-in of Dr Tahirul Qadri had made makeshift camps at the sit-in venue and the youth wing of PTI had established Azadi Town at the sit-in venue. However, unlike the presence of PAT supporters inside their makeshift camps, the camps of PTI are almost vacant and none of the protestor is present inside these camps.
The number of PTI protestors had been varying since August 15, 2014 when its long march led by Imran Khan had reached at the Kashmir Highway. The number of participants of sit-in has been usually increasing during the weekends starting from Friday and ending on Sunday.