Two more parties announce to join PTI protest campaign
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) got more support on Tuesday as two political parties announced joining hands with Imran Khan in blocking Nato supply line on April 23 and 24 to protest the US drone attacks.
The two political parties that announced support to the PTI were Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and the Pakistan Peoples Party-Sherpao (PPP-S). Jamaat-e-Islami, JUI-Sami, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and Pakistan Muslim League-Likeminded have also announced to join the protest that is expected to be one of the biggest events organised by the PTI so far. The event is being considered significant, as it is the first public mobilisation against the US in Pakistan.
We held meetings with JUI-F provincial amir Maulana Amanullah and provincial president of PPP-S Sikandar Sherpao. Both the leaders announced support to our move of blocking Nato supply line for two days and will send their delegations as well, Asad Qaisar, provincial president of the PTI, told The News.
The PTI leader said they would also send invitations to leaders of the Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party to participate in the anti-US protest.
The PTI activists, likely to be joined by workers of other political parties as well as fans of Imran Khan among the general public, would block the main supply line of Nato at Bagh-e-Naran in Hayatabad from the afternoon of April 23 till the next day.
If the US did not stop the drone attacks and the CIA agents did not leave Pakistan, we would think about the option of permanently blocking the Nato supplies. We will bring out people on roads every day and will keep the route blocked, said the PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa head.
Asad Qaiser said the PTI wanted the rulers to quit the so-called war on terror that had paralysed Pakistan. We have been the worst affected people in the war on terror. Thousands of people have been killed and joblessness, poverty and frustration among the Pakistanis has increased as result of the unending war, he argued.
According to the schedule, Imran Khan will leave from Islamabad at around 10 a.m. on April 23 and will be received by JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq and students of the Darul Uloom-e-Haqqania at Akora Khattak. The PTI chief will visit the famous seminary and will address the students before heading for Peshawar.
The PTI provincial president said the party workers, traders and other people would receive Imran Khan at Nowshera and later in Pabbi before attending a reception by traders of Peshawar at Chamkani. The procession is expected to reach Peshawar at 4 p.m. We will block the Ring Road from the afternoon till the end of next day, said Asad Qaisar.
The PTI leader said that over 2,300 people had so far been killed in the drone attacks and only nine of them proved to be al-Qaeda operatives while the rest were innocent people.
On the other hand, the Cantonment Board Peshawar authorities removed hundreds of posters pasted by the PTI activists in different areas.
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Two more parties announce to join PTI protest campaign
PML-N should also join the protest seeing the recent statements made by Shahbaz Sharif against drone attacks.
We Pakistanis must put our differences aside and unite against U.S. drone attacks in Pakistani territory.