LAHORE - Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan has challenged PTI to gather even two hundred thousand people at Raiwind.
“PTI chairman Imran Khan has made a hollow claim of gathering half a million people for the Raiwind show. I will accept Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf as a mainstream party if it manages to attract even two lakh people to its Raiwind March,” the provincial minister said during a press conference here yesterday.
Sanaullah further expressed his fear about possible disturbance by Imran Khan “after he would return frustrated from Raiwind”. However, he said, the government would not let anyone create unrest and disorderly situation and take every measure discharging its responsibility towards protecting life and maintaining law and order. “The law will take its course if the PTI tries to create disturbance”, the law minister warned.
Rana Sanaullah strictly asked the PML-N workers not to carry out any kind of political activity on the PTI protest route and keep their offices closed. He said in view of Muharram-ul-Haraam, security threats were already there while border tension after Indian threats to Pakistan had also prodded the government for tightening security even more. He said as many as nearly 7,700 policemen will be appointed on the route of PTI rally while a thorough monitoring would be conducted through CCTV cameras.
Recalling the recent past events, the minister particularly targeted Imran Khan accusing him of using a vulgar and indecent language against the political rivals in the public meetings. He also charged Khan for inflaming the PTI workers for marching to Jati Umra residence of Prime Minister thereby he created bitterness in the atmosphere which fumed the PML-N workers (who last days had set up danda bardar force).
Taking lead from Imran Khan statement wherein he warned surrounding the police stations if the PTI workers were taken into custody before the protest march, Sana said this statement had created serious doubts that Imran Khan was under the influence of “Shetan Khan” (referring to Sheikh Rashid) who had evil designs. “Imran Khan is knocking every door to amass people for the protest show and has now turned to negative politics after he faced frustration from every side.”
To a question on the government reaction if Imran Khan converted the protest march into a long dharna (sit-in), the Minister said they would not mind if khan intended to waste himself that way.
To a question on Dr Tahirul Qadri’s refusal to join the PTI march, Rana Sana said, Qadri was an informed person who had discerned on September 3 protest meeting of the PTI that Imran Khan’s ‘story’ was over.
If Khan persisted with the same kind of politics the time is not far away when his own party will leave him, he observed.
To a question on the farmers’ protest at The Mall, the minister said the matter was being politicised. He advised leader of the Opposition Syed Khursheed Shah (who has expressed solidarity with the Kissan Ittehad) to raise voice on the oppressions and excesses being meted out to the farmers of Sindh.
“At the time when prices of the agri products globally are on the decline, the government has given cushion to the local farmers with Rs100 billion package,” he said.
The minister also informed the media about deployment of Pak-Army and Rangers troops to ensure security along with police on Muharram processions.