PTI chief postpones Faisalabad rally over women harassment issue

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Wednesday postponed the anti-corruption rally in Faisalabad scheduled for May 8 over the issue of mistreatment of women.

However, the party chief will address public gatherings in Peshawar and Bannu on May 9 and 11, respectively.

According to police sources, five people have been identified through a video related to the issue. These people were identified through Nadra’s Forensic department, the sources added. 

Police said teams have been formed in order to arrest the culprits involved in the harassment of women.

According to party sources, the PTI chief was distressed over the issue of insolent behavior towards women participants in PTI rallies.

“After assaults on PTI women workers by the ruling party goons, we have lost confidence in Punjab police,” Imran Khan said.

The party leader on the subject of harassment said that the role of police was also being investigated.

The PTI leader added that no untoward incident occurred during the protests that went on for 126 days in the capital’s D-chowk during 2014.

The PTI chief outlined that justice will be meted out to the elements involved in the mistreatment of women in public gatherings, even if they are within the party.

The incidents of mismanagement and harassment of women were witnessed during PTI’s 20th foundation day rally at F-9 Park on April 24, when an unruly mob also tried to reach near the stage. TV footage had also shown PTI supporters harassing women workers at the rally.

Imran Khan had announced another ‘anti-corruption’ party rally in Faisalabad for Sunday while addressing workers and supporters of his party at Chairing Cross on Mall Road.

Intra-party differences major cause behind postponement: sources

It has been learnt that intra-party differences in the PTI have gained strength and this discord among party leaders is the primary cause for postponement of the Faisalabad rally.

Senior PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi who was looking over the arrangements for the Faisalabad rally made Sheikh Khurram the rally coordinator—a decision which did not go down well with party workers.

Sources said that over 40 workers wrote letters to the PTI chief refusing to work with Khurram.

After failing to solve differences among party workers, Imran Khan gave this task to Aijaz Choudhry.