PTI takes U-turn on Rawalpindi rally as Imran directs holding demo instead

• PTI to withdraw NOC request from LHC's Rawalpindi bench: Khan.
• Former prime minister explicitly rules out talks with establishment.
• He says former ruling party will not hold dialogue with anyone.
  

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has seemingly backtracked from its plan to hold a public rally in Rawalpindi after its incarcerated founder Imran Khan directed the party to hold a demonstration instead on September 28, The News reported on Friday.

Speaking to journalists at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Thursday, Khan said that the former ruling party will hold a protest as opposed to a public rally for which the party even submitted an application to the city's administration on Tuesday.

He added that the former ruling party would also withdraw the request for a no-objection certificate (NOC) to hold a rally from the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench.

The PTI, as part of its months-long efforts to secure permission to hold public gatherings, managed to hold two rallies in Islamabad and Lahore under strict conditions set out by the local officials.

The Lahore rally, held on September 21, had come to an abrupt end police took control of the stage, turning off the microphone and lights after the event exceeded the 6pm deadline set by the city officials in the no-objection certificate (NOC).

Following the gathering, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced that the party would hold rallies in Mianwali and Rawalpindi after which an application was submitted to the latter's deputy commissioner seeking permission to hold a rally at either Liaquat Bagh or Bhatta Chowk.

Before that, the Khan-founded party had organised a rally in the federal capital which saw party workers clashing with the police and was followed by arrests of its lawmakers from allegedly within the Parliament House premises over alleged violation of the public-gathering related law that came into force ahead of the PTI's rally.

Expressing his views in the Adiala facility, the former prime minister rebuffed the claims of his party’s chief spokesperson Raoof Hasan that the opposition was ready to hold talks with the establishment.

There was no use in holding talks with the establishment, the PTI founder said, adding that Hasan had some misunderstanding as he had given a clear message after the Islamabad power show that his party would not hold talks with anyone.

"All the leadership, including Gandapur, have instructions that there is no benefit in negotiating with the establishment," he added.

Earlier, Special Judge Central (SJC) Shahrukh Arjumand set October 2 as the date for the indictment of PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the new Toshakhana case.

On Thursday, Special Judge Arjumand heard the post-arrest bail applications of both Khan and his spouse, who were brought to a makeshift courtroom in Adiala jail.

During the hearing, the defence team completed arguments on the bail applications, while the prosecution requested additional time — a request that met with strong opposition.

Salman Safdar, counsel for the PTI founder, urged the court to rule on the bail application during the same session, saying that the hearing was scheduled at the prosecution’s request.

Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi also addressed the court directly, with the former prime minister appealing for justice. "My wife, Bushra, has nothing to do with this case, yet she remains in jail," Khan said. "I spend 22 hours a day in a prison cell," he informed the judge.

Despite the defence’s insistence, the court denied the request and granted the prosecution more time to complete their arguments. The hearing was adjourned until September 28.