LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party’s recent rally in Lahore has faced significant backlash, as government ministers quickly mocked the event’s poor turnout, labeling it a “flop show.” With attendance reported at fewer than 3,000, the rally fell short of PTI’s expectations for a grand display of power.
Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage, and Culture, Attaullah Tarar, ridiculed PTI’s efforts, asserting that the disappointing turnout would deter the party from organizing future gatherings across the country. He pointed out that the authorities had provided full cooperation, including open roads and robust security, yet PTI still struggled to mobilize supporters.
“There were no obstacles in cities like Islamabad, Attock, or Mianwali from where PTI summoned its workers,” Tarar said. He challenged the party leadership to release drone footage of the event, asserting that the lackluster attendance demonstrated PTI’s waning popularity. He claimed this served as proof that the public had shifted its support to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who are seen as making significant progress in providing relief to citizens.
Tarar noted that inflation had been reduced to single digits after previously soaring to double digits during PTI’s administration, and he recalled how PTI leadership had previously attempted to undermine the country’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He criticized PTI’s focus on securing the release of its founder from jail, comparing it to seeking an NRO-like relief. Tarar also condemned the party’s leadership for resorting to abusive language and hollow threats, stating they were out of touch with their own narrative.
Punjab ministers joined in the criticism, declaring PTI’s inability to draw a large crowd as evidence of its declining influence. In a joint press conference, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari, Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir, and Law Minister Sohaib Barath reiterated that the public had rejected PTI by boycotting the Lahore rally.
Bukhari noted that the Punjab government had ensured that key roads remained open, accusing PTI of misusing resources from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for political activities in Punjab. She thanked the people for supporting the current government and claimed that PTI’s rallies were merely attempts to seek relief for their founder regarding various legal issues.
In contrast, reports from PTI supporters suggested they had faced numerous obstacles, including road blockages and threats of mass arrests, imposed by the Punjab government. However, officials denied these claims, asserting that PTI’s poor turnout was merely an excuse.
PML-N leaders, meanwhile, shared videos mocking PTI’s declining popularity and claimed that all roads had been open. However, there were reports of intermittent blockages on key routes and police checkpoints set up to harass PTI workers.
The rally also faced logistical challenges, as PTI was assigned a new venue just hours before the event and was given limited time to hold the gathering, a restriction not imposed on previous rallies.
