This Will Be a Decisive Battle, PTI Will Never March on Islamabad Again: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned march towards Islamabad would be a decisive confrontation and claimed that the party would not be able to head towards the federal capital in the same manner again.
In a statement, Khawaja Asif said PTI leaders were comparing the federal capital Islamabad with the Somnath temple, but described the planned attempt as their “last effort.”
He said maintaining law and order in the federal capital was the government’s responsibility and no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands.
PTI has announced a march towards Islamabad for September 27, while federal government ministers have repeatedly stated that PTI workers would not be allowed to enter the capital.
Meanwhile, PTI leadership has reportedly discussed postponing the long march until October 10. According to media reports, a high-level party meeting was attended by Barrister Gohar Khan, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Asad Qaiser, Salman Akram Raja, Junaid Akbar and other leaders.
A majority of PTI leaders at the meeting reportedly proposed postponing the march to a date between October 5 and 10.
According to reports, the PTI leadership described the government’s closure of roads and routes leading to Islamabad as a sign of what it termed government panic, while also calling the disruption of traffic routes a success for the movement.
The meeting also reportedly expressed strong reservations about the roles of Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas.
PTI leaders further said the party was in contact with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and the Pakistan Peoples Party as part of its political engagement.
