MIAN ABRAR
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government Thursday allowed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) to take out their long marches from Lahore towards Islamabad after a “subtle message” from the General Headquarters (GHQ), supported by the political leadership led by Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Today has learnt reliably.
However, the PML-N government has devised a strategy to counter mass mobilisation of political workers by both the parties, sources said.
Under the planned strategy, though the GT Road would be kept opened for the main procession of the long march but all link roads would be blocked and hurdles would be created in way of the protesters to ensure that PTI and PAT are not in a position to mobilise the people on a large scale and the government can prove to the media that both parties have failed to muster desirable political support in the federal capital.
“The Punjab Police will be blocking the protesters in small cities and towns and top workers of both the parties would be arrested. There are many who have been arrested and sent on judicial remand, who could have motivated the workers to ensure mass mobilisation,” a source told Pakistan Today.
“Now we will be able to prove to the nation that the PTI and PAT have failed to gather two million supporters in the federal capital which both the parties had claimed.”
GEN SHARIF PLAYED A ROLE:
An informed source, seeking anonymity, told Pakistan Today that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif had proposed the government to avoid any step which could incite violence.
“During his meeting with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Gen Raheel advised the government to avoid confrontation with any of the opposition party supporters which may end up in massive bloodshed,” the source said.
The source added that during the meeting, Gen Raheel also shared intelligence reports which suggested that both the protesting parties had made “elaborate preparations” for the march and blocking any of the two parties could create a major law and order situation.
The source said that following the meeting, both the ministers reported back to the prime minister and informed him about the suggestions of the army chief, following which the government decided to allow long marches.
“Resultantly, Nisar during his press conference on Tuesday night, tried to dodge the media and said that the government would implement the Lahore High Court verdict by disallowing protestors for the march,” the source added.
POINTS HAD TO BE SCORED:
Later on, political players also jumped into the fray to defuse the tiff between the marching parties and government and the reconciliation process was led by Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain while the process was facilitated by Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar who has better relationship with Dr Tahirul Qadri, while Nisar contacted Khan and persuaded him to guarantee a peaceful march, the source said.
“Imran Khan informed the interior minister that his march would be peaceful and he would guarantee if his workers are not attacked or blocked.”
The source added that after Khan’s assurance, it was decided that PTI would be given a free hand to carry forward the long march but the PTI would not be allowed to gather so much strength which could put the government in a tight corner.
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