IMRAN KHAN TSUNAMI IN LAHORE – OVER 100,000 ATTEND

Source: Tribune.com.pk

More than 100,000 supporters gathered as a show of strength in what is traditionally the PML-N stronghold.

PTI chief Imran Khan warned politicians to declare their assets or his party would launch a civil disobedience movement against them.

Speaking on issues plaguing the country, Khan said that his party would stand with minorities and work for the rights of women.

He said PTI would also give the Baloch their rights and “not colonise them.”

End of live updates

7:20pm

The national anthem was played at the end of the ceremony.

7:10pm

“All politicians should declare their assets. PTI is forming a special cell to probe foreign assets owned by politicians.”

“We will go to the Supreme Court, we will for a independent Election Commission, if politicians do not declare their assets.”

“We will run a civil disobedience movement if they do not declare their assets.”

7:10pm

“We will stand with you not because I am shouting political slogans, but because it is my duty to stand with the weaker class.”

“PTI will stand with the minorities.”

“For the women of Pakistan, PTI is that party which will get you your rights. We will work on education for women,” says Khan

“When they get education they will stand for their rights.”

“My message to India on the presence of their army in Kashmir is that that a military solution has never helped solve anything,” says the PTI chief.

“I am going on a tour to China tonight on the invitation of the government of China. We will strengthen our ties with China.”

7:00pm

“We will give rights to the people of Balochistan. We will make them our brothers and not colonise them.”

“Tribal elders have pledged to ensure peace if the army withdraws from the tribal areas. They have said leave it to us, will end terrorism ourselves,” says Khan.

“PTI will ensure that Pakistan Army never launches an operation against its own citizens and that we never beg any country ever again.”

6:55pm

“We need to get rid of the patwari system,” says Khan.

“Pakistan’s assemblies are full of the kabza group. They support thepatwari system because they get money from them.”

“PTI will make the police a non-political force.”

6:50pm

“Mian sahib jaan diyoo, sadee baree aan diyo.”

6:40pm

“Zardari wrote to the Americans, asked them to protect him from the Army, said that he will bring his own generals.”

“The biggest problem that Pakistan faces today is corruption. We are America’s slaves because of corruption,” says Khan.

“PTI will wipe out corruption. We will make a law that those who do not declare their assets will not be allowed to take part in politics.”

6:35pm

“Those in Raiwind and Islamabad should know that it is not a flood that is coming, but a tsunami.”

6:30pm

“Hum aaj eik nayee Pakistan ka aghaz ker rahay hain,” says Imran Khan.

“Today I greet all the rickshaw drivers , taxi drivers… civil servants who have secretly come here, policemen who are happy on the inside.”

6:25pm

Crowds cheer as Imran Khan approaches the podium.

PTI chief Imran Khan is now addressing the rally.

“We have worked hard and tried to bring change for 15 years,” says Imran Khan.

“Today Allah has listened to us.”

6:20pm

The national anthem is now being played at the rally.

6:15pm

Express 24/7 reports that conservative estimates put the crowd at 150,000.

Strings are now performing on stage.

ainaBaloch  it looks more like a concert #PtiJalsa

UsamaKhilji Arif Alvi: PTI believes in equal rights for women, minorities, like the Prophet Muhammad PBUH did, under a welfare Islamic State. #PTIjalsa

6:10pm

Singer Shahzaman is now performing on stage.

Express 24/7 correspondent Rabia Mehmood reporting the rally is very organised despite the large number of people who have arrived.

5:55pm

PTI’s online supporters have started using the hash tag #OMP on Twitter to signify ‘Occupy Minar-e-Pakistan’.

Shehzad Roy is trending worldwide on Twitter.

5:45pm

Singer and social worker Shehzad Roy is performing on stage.

madeehai Yes we khan #PTIjalsa #PTI #Lahore #pakistan

PTI Secretary General Arif Alvi had earlier told AFP that Khan “will make important announcements regarding the country’s politics and future course of action.”

“The wind of change of has started in the country and anyone coming in its way would be eliminated,” Alvi said and added “Tehreek-e-Insaf wants the rule of people constitution and law in the country.”

“It is going to be historic. We have our supporters and voters coming from Lahore and its suburban areas and the expected gathering would be over 100,000 people,” Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokhar, a member of the party’s organising committee had said.

“We have been reassured by the provincial police chief about the security of the gathering and smooth flow of traffic for our convoys,” Khokhar had told AFP.

Senior police official Ghulam Mahmood Dogar told reporters that all steps had been taken to provide “fool-proof” security at the public meeting.

5:40pm

Express 24/7 correspondent Rabia Mehmood reports that the number of people at the venue has now crossed 100,000.

Roads from Minto Park upto the secretariat, railway station and Ravi bridge are blocked.

Supporters are still arriving at the venue.

Asad Kharal reports that PTI organisers are claiming that the PML-N government has shut down cable services in Lahore using police and other departments.

5:35pm

Asad Kharal reports that more than 50,000 people are inside the venue, and there are people present out in the streets.

Police and rescue service personnel are also present behind the stage.

5:25pm

PTI chief Imran Khan said his Maghrib prayers on stage.

5:20pm

Mian Azhar is addressing the rally.

“Change will come,” says the PTI leader.

5:15pm

PTI leaders have started addressing the rally.

Asad Kharal reports the barrier/grill around the venue has been broken.

5:10pm

Asad Kharal reports that the venue has been filled up to capacity and there are supporters standing outside. Families are still arriving at the venue with flags and posters.

All roads leading up to the venue are full of people on foot and in vehicles.

PTI supporters were seen ripping Hamza Shahbaz and Nawaz Sharif posters placed in high places near the venue.

4:50pm

Asad Kharal reports there is a massive traffic jam within a 2-3 kilometre radius of Minar-e-Pakistan.

Ambulances are also stuck in the jam and are finding it difficult to find a way out.

omarchughtai 150,000 there already. For every 1 there, there’s a thousand people getting ready to go.

Amnaa_tariq Imran Khan is using no Bullet Proof Glass

hammy86 Strings also present @ #PTIjalsa ”mein bhe dekho ga.. Tun bhe dekho gai”

4:30pm

OmarWaraich Lahore Special Branch say the venue at Minar-e-Pakistan is full #PTIjalsa

4:15pm

PTI chief Imran Khan has arrived and is on stage.

A massive crowd is seen waving party flags and cheering the arrival of Khan.

harisn Imran Khan is here! Just arrived backstage. #PTI #Pakistan #PTIJalsa #OMP

4:00pm

The Express Tribune correspondent Asad Kharal reports PTI officials have claimed that a major portion of the 45,000 seating arrangement at the rally has been covered.

Around 1,100 to 1,200 supporters have arrived from four constituencies of Nankana district.

PTI convener Sajjad Haider Randhawa led 700 to 800 people from the PP-170 Sangla constituency of the district. The supporters arrived in 25 vehicles – two big buses, eight cars and 15 coasters.

Muhammad Ishaq led a convoy of 13 vehicles carrying 250-300 people from PP-170 Shahkot.

No vehicles or people have arrived at the rally from PP-172 Nankana City, the constituency of sitting MPA of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Rai Shahnawaz Bhatti.

3:12pm

According to Express 24/7 correspondent Rabia Mehmood, thousands of students have shown up to support the PTI. A majority of the crowd is made up of young people.

Over 6,000 people have gathered so far, and many people are arriving by bus and by foot.

Dancing, cheering and slogan raising is the focus of the rally at this stage.

2:50pm

People from all over the country, from all age groups and backgrounds are arriving at the venue to attend Imran Khan’s rally.

The party chief is expected to make an ‘important announcement’ in today’s address.

Correspondent Rabia Mehmood describes a festive air at the ground:

Rabail26 Students from #KPK with #PTI flags in hands, dancing on a song in Pashto. Their headbands say ‘ISF Al-Jihad’. #PTIJalsa #Lahore

Aside from ground activity, the PTI is effectively using social media tools such as Twitter to build support for today’s rally, using the Twitter hashtag#PTIjalsa.

The PTI are also broadcasting the rally live here.

2:15pm

Express 24/7 correspondent Rabia Mehmood says approximately 5-6,000 people have gathered around Minar-i-Pakistan for the PTI rally so far.

The organisers set 2pm as the official time for the rally to kick off.

Around 1,500 policemen including 50 Elite Force personnel are to be deployed at Minar-i-Pakistan. Thirty-two walkthrough gates monitored by CCTV cameras have been installed at the venue.

The protest area has been divided into four zones, with a superintendent of police given charge of a zone each.

The Insaf Student Federation (ISF), the student wing of Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), says it expects some 7,000 students from schools in the city to join its public meeting at Minar-i-Pakistan today.

Imran, whose party has been making significant inroads as a ‘street power’ but has yet to do well in elections, is being seen by observers as at least a ‘game changer’ in coming parliamentary polls, especially in Punjab’s urban areas.

Why Imran Khan by Insaf.pk

First and foremost, one should keep in mind that his spotless

personality and track record leaves very little opportunity for his

opposition to taint his image. Hence, starting from 1996 (when he first

established his political party) Imran Khan has come face to face with

ugly criticism, mostly revolving around his personal life pertaining to

his playboy image. During the 1997 elections a major political party

actually spent a handsome amount to hire private detectives and used one

of their very effective resource to highlight the infamous Sita White

episode and to target Khan for being “morally” corrupt. While it is true

that for public figures their personal life ceases to remain personal, I

feel that in this case the Khan opposition went quite overboard. Khan

has to date made it a point not to bring anyone’s personal life under

discussion and strictly confines himself to criticism aimed at the

public dealings of these political figures; and instead of refuting

Khan’s allegations these parties go on to bring his personal life under

the spotlight. Similar tactics were tried by another major political

party in 2007 after Imran bashed them for being responsible for the 12th

May 2007 carnage. Both these attempts targeted Khan with immense force

and he suffered tremendous blows but he is a survivor and today, after

all these allegations he still stands at 68% popularity in Pakistan.

 

During the initial part of his political career, Imran was also labeled

as a sponsored stooge of the Jewish lobby. This was further aggravated

after his marriage to the British heiress Jemima Goldsmith. Today that

same “pro-Israel” member of the Jewish “lobby” is labeled as Taliban

Khan. However, if we analyze his stance from the day he began politics

to this day we will notice that there are hardly any contradictions and

his stances on foreign policy, free and fair judiciary, self-esteem,

sovereignty etc have all remained constant. As a result, the only

possible way for him to become a Taliban supporter and a Jewish lobby

member at the same time is if the Jews and Talibans somehow become

allies (seems highly unlikely).

 

In recent times, Imran Khan has been vociferously criticized for being

close to the “right-wing” Islamists as allegedly his stance is close to

their anti-American stance. This is the common talk these days amongst

the so called “liberals”. In my opinion, these left-wing self proclaimed

secularists are actually “liberal extremists”. The word secular caters

to someone who keeps politics and religion separate which this group

miserably fails to do. In their eyes, anyone who will talk about

religion, and/or practice it is a right-wing mullah. Whereas, just like

they choose to ignore certain “other” characteristics as “personal” life

they should ignore one’s religious beliefs and/or practices as this also

falls under the personal domain. What analysts should focus on is

someone’s public dealings and what his/her services are for the nation

rather than what their religious mindset is as leadership cannot be

restricted to any specific religion or none thereof. A prime and recent

example of this phenomenon is Tayyip Erdogan’s re-election as Prime

Minister for Turkey. The man has openly been a right wing conservative

and continues to be one in a secular country. Yet, his fellow countrymen

elected him for the third time despite the fact that he poses a serious

threat to Turkey’s secular outlook.

 

As far as the allegations are concerned regarding Khan being a Taliban

sympathizer; well, lets establish certain facts. Khan has never once

supported the notion of killing innocent people to achieve some goal.

Every terrorist attack and/or brutal actions by the police or terrorists

have always been condemned. However, to root out extremism, he has a

theory and that theory involves sitting with the militant groups and

actually trying to decipher why they are fighting. People tend to forget

that the same strategy is being pursued by the Americans for the Afghan

Talibans and not surprisingly they have managed to establish contact

with the most wanted mullah Omar. Does that mean that the Americans have

also changed sides and become pro-Taliban?? Similarly, Khan has been

extremely vocal regarding Drone attacks and the violation of our

national and territorial sovereignty. Once again, this voice of concern

is regarded as “Anti-American” sentiment. Why do we forget that there is

a difference between being anti-American and being pro-Pakistan. What

Khan says has nothing to do with U.S.A. in fact, he has always

criticized our own leadership which he believes is compromised and hence

has granted permission to the Americans to carry out these barbaric

acts. History is filled with examples of Anti-war lobbies. Countless

people opposed the actions of the U.S. Army in Vietnam, in Britain,

around 2 million people protested against the Iraq Invasion. Authors and

writers like Noam Chomsky etc have been extremely vocal about their

reservations on American policies and yet amongst intellectuals and

libertarians worldwide (including Pakistan) Chomsky and others have been

held in very high esteem. Today these very “intellectuals” label the

opposition of the war on terror ( which includes drone attacks) as

Taliban supporters. People should realize that there is a stark

difference between being a liberal and being pro-American. Criticizing

the American foreign policies does not mean that you hate America in

general. Visit any American college or University and you will realize

that many including the students and professors criticize their

country’s Foreign Policy but none are labeled as traitors or

conservatives.

 

A major objection which attempts to overshadow Imran Khan’s politics

these days is his alleged “romance” with Pakistan’s military and

intelligence agencies (commonly known as the establishment). For those

who know Imran Khan’s personality, know that he is not someone who will

sell himself. Due to his services for the country and his celebrity

value, Khan was first offered a ministerial post during the Zia regime

in 1988. Since then he has received various offers from the two major

parties including top positions. During the 1997 elections Khan was also

offered a decent number of seats as part of a seat adjustment plan by a

major party. Fast forward to the Musharraf era (2002), and we see that

the General openly announces that his candidate for the premiership is

none other than Imran Khan. There is one common link in all these

“available” opportunities; i.e. they were all rejected by Khan as he did

not want to make it to the top by compromising his principles and his

stand. Today, those who blame him of being close to the ISI and the COAS

should consider that when he actually required the backing of an

alternative force and/or an artificial push he denied it. Why would he

provide anyone with leverage today considering that his popularity is

rising exponentially. Also, recent attacks on the military bases and

events similar to those which took place on May 2 have weakened the

military establishment nationally as well as internationally. The main

task confronting our military today is to rebuild their image as an

institution which is in control of the multiple crises this country

faces rather than trying their hand once again in political maneuvering.

Besides, politicians who agree on deals with the establishment are

always trying to gain some benefit in return. This return could either

be wealth, fame or protection of their heinous crimes. In Khan’s case he

has abundance of wealth and fame and has never been accused of any

wrongdoing. He is someone who has actually sacrificed a lot including

his personal life just to be in politics and achieve his goal. To get

someone of that charachter and reputation to compromise would be termed

as a major achievement by the establishment.

 

Considering the arguments above, I think we can safely establish that

Khan is a true liberal at heart. If you analyze his Dharnas esp the one

in the port city of Karachi, you will realize that people from all walks

of life showed up. The best part was that Khan was sitting side by side

with leaders and clerics of different religious schools of thought. This

goes to show that religion is not a barrier when national interest is at

stake and I think this is what secularism preaches and the same message

is advocated by Islam. Khan always comes under the microscope and is

usually over-analyzed in terms of his alliances and inclinations,

however, his formula is very simple and basic; i.e. he will ally with

anyone and everyone if it is a matter of national interest. Who ever

speaks up against the prevalent injustices is a friend and whoever works

against national interest and follows dictated policy from abroad is by

all means a foe.

Reformistan supports PTI Party for next elections

I am pleased to announce I have joined PTI party.  This is the first party I have joined.  I like Imran Khan’s ideas, beliefs and values and his honesty. It’s time for a change a democratic revolution for Pakistan.