LAHORE: Facing intense criticism for its inability to hold a widely anticipated mass public gathering, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has rescheduled its Lahore public meeting from September 15 to September 22.
On Saturday, PTI Punjab General Secretary Hammad Azhar announced that the party had submitted a new application to hold a public meeting at the Minar-i-Pakistan ground (Iqbal Park) on September 22.
Previously, PTI Secretary-General Omar Ayub Khan had written a three-page application to the Lahore Deputy Commissioner, seeking a no-objection certificate (NOC) to organize a ‘mass political gathering’ at the same venue on September 15.
The decision to change the date follows the abrupt cancellation of PTI’s planned public meeting in Islamabad on August 22, which has led to criticism over the party’s inability to mobilize sufficient public support for its events.
Confirming the new application for the September 22 meeting, Hammad Azhar tweeted that the party would now focus on the planned gathering in Islamabad on September 8. He also mentioned that PTI would organize a major “religious event” on the occasion of 12th Rabiul Awal.
Meanwhile, leaders of the ruling PML-N criticized PTI for failing to organize a public meeting for the second consecutive time, with some senior leaders speculating that PTI might complete a “hat-trick” by postponing the upcoming September 8 Islamabad gathering as well.
