During his public rally on Saturday, the former Prime Minister came to the bulletproof paraphernalia in view of the attempt on his life…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan, who was shot at atop a container in Wazirabad and ridiculed his political opponents for ‘hiding inside their vehicles’ or behind bulletproof glass, showed up in a “brand new bulletproof container” this time, Dawn reported.
During his public rally on Saturday, the former Prime Minister came to the bulletproof paraphernalia in view of the attempt on his life. However, the party claimed that Khan faced threats to his life while its leader Yasmin Rashid says he (Imran) never wanted to use the bulletproof shield but the party leadership forced him to do so.
According to Dawn, citing sources, the bulletproof glass was imported, modified and installed at a local car windscreen workshop. As Dawn spoke to several PTI leaders, a senior leader came up with an altogether different view, saying the new container was rented from Islamabad and it was returned after the event. A senior party leader says the container was not only bulletproof but bombproof too and it weighed 17 tonnes. The container walls were fortified with bombproof material and it was also fitted with an air-conditioning system, reported Dawn.
A crane to place the container on top of a platform made of more containers to be in full public view for rally participants, even those standing on the flyover outside the venue area.
“The party has placed an order for a purpose-built container to be used by the party chairman at scores of political rallies being planned ahead of the general election,” PTI Lahore president Sheikh Imtiaz Mahmood said, asserting that Khan will address the next rally from the party’s own purpose-built container.
However, Mr Mahmood expressed his ignorance of the party’s arrangement of the container used on March 25.
Addressing the gatherings at Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan on Saturday night Khan targeted the PML-N-led Pakistan government saying that those in power will get the message that people’s passion cannot be curbed via hurdles and containers, Pakistan based The Express Tribune Newspaper reported.
“One thing is clear, whoever is in power, they will get a message today that people’s passion cannot be curbed via hurdles and containers,” he said, adding that around 2,000 PTI workers have been put behind bars only to create hurdles for today’s rally.
He praised his party’s supporters for showing up at the rally’s venue, saying that despite all kinds of obstacles, people, in large numbers, came to Minar-e-Pakistan. “Those in power must know that [blocking the roads and pathways with shipping] containers cannot stop people who want true independence,” he explained, adding that fear was spread to frustrate the public meeting.
The government has placed containers on the way leading to Minar-e-Pakistan, leading to hurdles for people seeking to partake in the jalsa.
Khan held the Pakistan government responsible for the country’s current situation. He questioned, “did our ancestors give sacrifices for this Pakistan?”
He said that a level playing field does not mean that tie Imran Khan’s hands and giving others all the facilities but it means to give an equal opportunity to all. “I have completed a century of cases, I might even cross 150. I have 40 terrorism cases registered against my name. Poor spend their entire life-fighting false cases in this country,” he said. (ANI)
