Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Asad Umar announced that Imran Khan would not let ‘anything bulletproof’ separate him and the people as he is a kaptaan (captain) who ‘loved his people’, and did not want to be away from them.
The remark comes after leaders from the incumbent government advised the former premier to erect a bulletproof shield on his container as a safety measure following the alleged assassination attempt against him.
During the party’s Haqeeqi Azadi march Asad, in a message to the chief justice of Pakistan, declared that “Toba, Chinot, Faisalabad, Jhang, Sindh, Punjab” all stood in support of Imran Khan, and that the PTI supporters would not back down, or bend before anyone.
“What this nation and history decide about you, is up to you now,” he added. Quoting Imran, Asad stated that the PTI chief was standing despite being shot and questioned if the nation was ready to stand with him.
He furthered that he would converse with Imran in the evening who “will be happiest to hear that the women, sisters and daughters of Toba” joined in the march. The convoy, led by Asad Umar and other party leaders, passed through the Gojra tehsil where he was welcomed outside Hamza Usman’s residence.
He thanked the local people in a short speech and then the procession began to move towards its destination. Later, Asad Umar and PTI leader Shahbaz Gill reached Kalma Chowk in Toba Tek Singh.
Earlier, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi stated that screens would be put up in Gujrat for Imran to address the people and party workers.
He detailed that the march would move towards Gujrat after Zuhr prayers, and that the procession would pause at Rahmat Elahi Chowk and then finally reach the GTS Chowk where Imran Khan will address the crowds. Addressing a presser prior to the march, Qureshi stated that the first information report (FIR) lodged against the Wazirabad shooting had “no value” because the three high-profile leaders inculpated by Imran were not named in the FIR.
He said that the plaintiff should have been prioritised but alleged that the police seemed helpless. The PTI leader remarked that the incident showed “some people are above the law”.—INP
