ISLAMABAD     -      Only two days after former prime
minister Imran Khan survived an
assassination attempt, Interior
Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan on
Saturday said that the masses have
altogether rejected the call of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief
to stage countrywide protests
over the armed attack on the long
march container.
The remarks of the interior minister came amid some reports quoting party sources that PTI chairman
Imran Khan was unhappy with his
party leaders over their failure to
bring out people in large numbers
on roads soon after he got injured
in an attack in Wazirabad city of the
Punjab province. After the attack, at
least two PTI leaders in a video message had given a call of countrywide
protests on behalf of party chief
Khan, who at that time was being
treated at a hospital in Lahore.
The interior minister said that
the non-participation of the public
in the protests, except a few dozen
workers of the party, was clear evidence of his claim that the public
did not stand by Khan. The ex-premier is seeking early election by
leading an anti-government campaign. Rana Sanaullah said that the
Pakistani nation believed in democratic behaviours and politics of
self-respect and tolerance. He said
that PTI was trying to block roads
for the last two days under the protection of provincial police and on
the instigation of provincial governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) – an action which
was condemnable. He said that the
people were facing difficulties due
to closure of roads and patients unable to get to hospitals. The interior minister concluded by saying the
silence of Punjab govt and its assistance being provided to PTI workers in the illegal act of closure of
roads and highways was shameful.