The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday announced it is deferring a rally planned for April 9 (today) at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi in light of the country’s preparations for anticipated peace talks between Iran and the United States in Islamabad this weekend.
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas of the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, announced the decision after negotiations between the federal government and opposition leaders at Parliament House. Earlier, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, and MNAs Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar had met opposition leaders to request postponement of the rally.
The meeting was preceded by Tarar addressing the National Assembly, urging the opposition to reconsider its protest. He stressed the country needed national unity ahead of plans to host delegations from the U.S. and Iran for a sustained end to the war.
However, while the Senate opposition leader said the rally was called off at the government’s request, PTI Chairman Gohar Khan claimed it was postponed on directives of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan. He claimed the PTI founder’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, had conveyed the message after a meeting between the two at Adiala Jail earlier in the day.
Consequently, said Gohar, the PTI political committee had deliberated on the matter and decided to delay the rally in the national interest.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had announced the rally last week, claiming the party would protest if the government did not grant permission for it. On Wednesday, the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner had rejected the request to hold the rally at Liaquat Bagh, citing security concerns and ongoing austerity measures adopted in light of the Iran war.
Reportedly, Afridi’s announcement had caught many PTI leaders by surprise, as they felt there was insufficient time to ensure the rally attracted a sizeable crowd.