ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday postponed their May 8 Faisalabad public meeting citing concern for the safety of female attendees after women supporters were allegedly harassed at the party's recent public gatherings. Party insiders, however, claim the real reason is a rift between party workers organising the event.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan posted a statement to Facebook saying the public meeting had been postponed in light of the harassment of female attendees of the party's gatherings in Islamabad and Lahore over the past month.
"I don't trust the Punjab police" after women were harassed at PTI gatherings, he said, adding that plans to attack the women were a conspiracy to restrict their participation in politics. Khan implied his party is afraid the same will happen in Faisalabad.
A source in the party, however, told News that the Faisalabad public meeting had been postponed due to a rift between organisers of the event.
PTI organisers in Faisalabad have some differences with a party member appointed by Shah Mehmood Qureshi to organise the public meeting, the source said.
The differences between the organisers were so severe, the meeting had to be postponed, he said.
PM takes notice of harassment of 'PTI women'
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday took notice of the alleged harassment of women at the PTI public meeting in Lahore on Sunday and called for the immediate arrests of the suspects.
On the sidelines, a four-member committee headed by PTI spokesman Naeemul Haq has been formed to investigate the harassment of women at the party's gatherings, a PTI source said.
The PTI claims to have proof that the PML-N sent men to harass women at the gatherings. The party interviewed over 50 men and women and assessed 12 video clips recorded at the Islamabad gathering, the source said.
The party will compile a report in two days and send recommendations to Imran Khan, the source said.
The PTI on Tuesday approached police to register a case against PML-N activists for the alleged harassment of women during the Lahore public meeting. However, a case had already been registered by police a day earlier against 100 unidentified men in connection with the incident.
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah on Monday said over 50 alleged culprits had been identified with the help of footage acquired through various sources. "If Imran can organise rallies, he should also provide security to women,” he said, adding, "We will surely find out to which party they belong."
A war of words between the PTI and PML-N has escalated over the past few weeks, as the opposition party insists on the prime minister's resignation over allegations of corruption following the Panama leaks.
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