LAHORE - The Punjab government has decided to not hamper the PTI Ehtesab March to Raiwind on September 30 yet it has drawn a red line to restrict the movement of the PTI protesters from moving to the Jati Umra residence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The Punjab government will give a free hand to the protesters on that day yet it will take all steps to check the charged up PTI protesters from taking the law into their hand or go violent to disturb the public life.
At the end of the government, police and the district administration have been directed to adopt every measure to protect life of the people on the protest day and at the same time also be on their guard to meet any eventuality. The PTI has also not evinced any intention to go beyond the Plot Adda venue on September 30 and to keep their young emotional people in check.
The PML-N has strictly shunned the option of preparing danda-wielding force to prevent the PTI youth by force from moving to the residence of the Prime Minister so the PTI has also abandoned the plan to counter the PML-N force with the same sort of formation of the youth in its own ranks.
As such the PTI is going to make the September 30 event a serious one with the purpose of pressing for the Ehtesab of Nawaz Sharif and his children after their names have been highlighted in the Panama papers as running the offshore companies with the money allegedly siphoned off surreptitiously without declaring it for the purpose of tax.
The PML-N leadership does not expect the PTI mopping up large public support for the Raiwind protest. The leadership pins this claim on the rising popularity of the Prime Minister after he forcefully and convincingly pleaded cause of Kashmiri people at the UNGA which would outshine the PTI march against the government.
Not that but the party assesses the public mood which it feels is not going with the marchers at a time when all others parties on the opposition stand with the government on Kashmir or they are loathe to holding protest outside the personal residence of anyone. The recent victories in the by-polls are also being estimated as public endorsement of the PML-N policies.
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sana Ullah has mocked the PTI claim of getting a gathering of five lakh workers at Raiwind and challenged Imran Khan to show up with even two lakh at the venue. He said if Khan failed to fetch two lakh he should review his politics.
The minister also offered to provide transport and pay the fare in order to enable the PTI show get two lakh people. He said the situation in the country is not such that protest politics is pursued or anything committed which could harm the national interests.
The minister wanted all political forces in the country to join hand at this juncture so that the enemy could feel our strength and power on Kashmir and other issue of vital national importance. The Minister has ensured the full security cover to the PTI protest and that course, he said, the PML-N offices on the way of march will remain closed.
The PTI on the other hand says the Raiwind gathering would be unprecedented in the history of the country and effect change in the destiny of the nation. The PTI with a slight change in the party flag has prepared 50,000 flags in addition to thousand of national flags for the party workers.
The Party leadership says the march would bring about a big change in the politics of the country as it would go to achieve the end of holding the corrupt rulers accountable and make them pay back what they looted from the nation.
It is notable on the side of the PTI and the government that both want to ensure security to the public life. The PTI has formed a contingent of the youth to ensure security as well as deal with any mischief or unpleasant happening.
The government on the other hand has announced to depute over 5000 policemen on the security of the protestors. An administrative officer on the condition of not being named said that at some places containers would also be placed to plug any loophole in the security while a close watch would also be maintained on those taking part in the protest march.
The PTI fears the police on the call of the government can launch crackdown on its workers to arrest them in order fail the protest show. The administrative officers said, they don’t have any instructions to this effect.