The PML-N government is once again coming under intense criticism for seemingly admitting to putting up banners against PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Gujranwala.
PTI’s long march is in full steam. Tuesday, the long march stayed at Gujranwala before resuming towards Islamabad with a revised schedule.
Before the long march reached Gujranwala, reports emerged that banners against former Prime Minister Imran Khan were put up on GT Road in Gujranwala. The banners contained slogans against Imran Khan calling him a “thief” due to the Toshakhana reference against him.
Read more: Analyzing PTI’s 2nd Long March
The anti-Imran Khan banners sparked a narrative that Gujranwala may have rejected Imran Khan and his long march. Needless to say, the PML-N camp began claiming that Imran Khan’s long march has failed.
Banners against Imran Khan put up in Gujranwala.#Gujranwala #LongMarch #ImranKhan pic.twitter.com/B5T0f4iJeq
— The Friday Times (@TFT_) November 1, 2022
Interestingly, PML-N leader and Federal Minister for Energy Khurram Dastgir apparently admitted to putting up the banners against Imran Khan. While giving an interview to a private media channel, Khurram Dastgir said that “we” were putting up the banners.
“Till this day, I do not have a level playing field. The banners calling Imran Khan a thief in Gujranwala were taken down by the Punjab police. We kept putting them up and they kept taking them down,” Khurram Dastgir said.
It is unclear whether Khurram Dastgir admitted to the PML-N government being behind the anti-Imran Khan banners, or made a slip of tongue, however, PTI leaders are criticizing the minister.
“Shameless Dastgir,” PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said while retweeting the video clip of Khurram Dastgir’s remarks.
بے شرم خرم دستگیر ۔۔۔۔#Stumped pic.twitter.com/mg1gdMeycC
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 1, 2022
“Stumped, loitering outside the crease,” PTI leader and KP Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra said.
Stumped, loitering outside the crease#حقیقی_آزادی_لانگ_مارچpic.twitter.com/tOWb6X4thr
— Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) November 2, 2022
On day 5 of the PTI’s Haqeeqi Azadi March, Imran Khan challenged Nawaz Sharif that he would defeat the PML-N supremo in “his own constituency” while addressing a huge gathering in Gujranwala. The PTI chief also attacked former president Asif Zardari, calling him “the biggest malady” of Pakistan.
Read more: PTI long march shows nation has given up on PML-N?
Furthermore, the PTI chairman reiterated that the time had come for attaining real freedom and said that the country had the worst rule of law and justice system where big thieves get the NRO, while poor and innocent people get humiliated in police stations and courts.