LAHORE - Leadership of the PPP and the PTI would not be sharing the stage on January 17 (tomorrow) though their leaders will participate in the protest rally jointly organized by the opposition parties under the umbrella of the PAT, struggling to bring down the government in its endeavor to seek justice for the Model Town victims. 

It has been learnt on authority that PPP-P President Asif Ali Zardari will take the stage earlier and leave the venue after making a speech. PTI chief Imran Khan will arrive later in the evening to address the rally after Zardari’s departure.

Sources in the PAT claimed that while the PPP had no objection to sharing of the stage by the two leaders at the same time, the PTI was averse to the idea for political reasons.

PTI’s spokesperson Fawad Ch confirmed the news, saying that his party had concerns about its image which might get tarnished if Imran sits with Asif Ali Zardari on the same stage. He added that PTI chief has been critical of the PPP leader in the public rallies, and now it would be politically unwise to make a public appearance with that person.

Senior PPP leader Ch Manzoor said that PAT was hosting the event and it was up to Dr Tahirul Qadri to chalk out the seating plan for his guests. “This question should be asked from the host. We are going there as guests of Dr Qadri who is to decide about such matters,” Manzoor said, adding that the steering committee of the MPC was meeting on Tuesday (today) to sort out all the modalities concerning the event.

Spokesperson for PAT, Noorullah Siddiqui said he was not sure if the PPP and the PTI leaders would be sitting together on the stage. PAT sources, however, told The Nation that Dr Tahirul Qadri will try to reconcile the two leaders on this issue as the matter comes up for discussion in the steering committee meeting on Tuesday (today). 

Meanwhile, PPP-P President Asif Zardari arrived in Lahore on Monday to take part in January 17 protest being held under the aegis of PAT. He chaired a party meeting at Bilawal House where senior party leaders including Qamar Zaman Kaira and Ch Manzoor Ahmad briefed him about the arrangements. Zardari reportedly urged the party leaders to ensure maximum participation of party jiyalas in the rally.

Also, Central Working Council of the PAT met on Monday to devise strategy for Wednesday’s event on The Mall. It was told that leaders of mainstream opposition parties including Asif Zardari, Imran Khan and Ch Parvaiz Elahi had confirmed their participation in the protest.

A statement issued by PAT media cell quoted Dr Tahirul Qadri as saying that strategy to “overthrow the PML-N government” will be announced on the protest day (Wednesday). He also said the days of PML-N government in Punjab were numbered.

Dr Qadri also told a local news channel yesterday that it would be a one-day protest on January 17 while the future strategy would be announced the same day.

Leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf also met here on Monday to finalize their part of the arrangements regarding the rally. While chairing the meeting, PTI’s central Punjab president Aleem Khan tasked all the aspirants for the next elections to bring the party activists in large number from Lahore and other districts to be part of the planned public gathering at Charring Cross on The Mall.

He also shared with the party office bearers the new party slogan:“ Go Shehbaz Go” to be chanted by PTI workers during Wednesday’s gathering. Aleem also said that Imran would announce the next phase of agitation from the new platform on the protest day.

He affirmed that the PTI would take this protest seriously to send a strong message to the rulers that their days were numbered now. He said the PTI workers had a vast experience of agitation and they would be conspicuous in the rally by their discipline and enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Punjab government said that the government will not allow a sit-in at The Mall. The opposition parties could take their protest to Nasir Bagh instead.