Govt requested Gandapur to postpone PTI's Islamabad rally, reveals spokesperson

• Gandapur asked to postpone rally amid security concerns: Malik. 
• Says PTI given conditional permission to hold jalsa on Sept 8.
• PTI workers can't be demoralised with "false claims": Saif.

ISLAMABAD: As rifts emerged within PTI over abrupt postponement of August 22 rally, Barrister Aqeel Malik, the federal government's spokesperson on legal affairs, said that the Centre approached Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for cancellation of the public gathering.

The former ruling party put off its public gathering in Islamabad and rescheduled it for September 8 as the local administration revoked the no-objection certificate (NOC) and sealed roads leading to the federal capital.

PTI leaders Gohar Ali Khan and Azam Swati claimed that the gathering was postponed on instructions of party founder Imran Khan after they met the incarcerated politician at 07:00am in Adiala Jail ahead of the much-hyped public rally.

However, several party leaders — including Imran's sister Aleema Khan — contradicted the top leaders statements. 

Expressing a lack of confidence in the current PTI leadership, Aleema claimed that the PTI leaders have no "real intention" of freeing the former prime minister from jail.

In a short audio clip, she also questioned why Swati paid a visit to Imran early in the morning and who instructed him to do so.

"Considering the security concerns, the federal government formally reached out to KP chief minister [Gandapur] and requested him to postpone the rally," Barrister Aqeel said while speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan today.

Later, the government's spokesperson said, Ali Amin Gandapur held a meeting the PTI leadership to review the security situation. "The district administration revoked the notification after considering the situation"," he added.

In response to a question, Aqeel said that Imran Khan-founded party had been given conditional permission to hold public gathering on September 8.

Meanwhile, Adviser to KP chief minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif rejected Malik's statement and said the federal government did not contact CM Gandapur regarding the postponement of rally.

He said neither government nor any other institution facilitated PTI leaders' meeting with deposed prime minister. "No discussion was held between Imran Khan and CM Gandapur in this regard."

Barrister Saif also said the federal ministers cannot demoralise PTI workers with what he called "concocted statements". "The decision to postpone the gathering was taken by Imran Khan in personal capacity," he asserted.

The district administration had revoked the NOC granted to PTI for August 22 rally on the "report of district intelligence committee," according to an official statement.

The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Islamabad Chief Commissioner Chaudhry Mohammad Ali Randhawa.

Citing strict security concerns, the administration had noted that the Bangladesh cricket team was in Islamabad, adding that it is difficult to control the crowd of a rally.