Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khan has raised concerns about the postponement of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally at Tarnol in Islamabad today, triggering an open confrontation within the party's leadership, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
A belligerent Aleema accused the current PTI leadership of having no intention of securing Imran Khan's release from jail. She lashed out at Azam Swati, questioning who instructed him to deliver the message to Imran Khan at the jail early Thursday morning. This is not time for a meeting in the jail, she added.
Aleema expressed doubts about how a meeting at Adiala Jail could have been arranged at 7:30 am and accused the PTI leadership of postponing the rally on the orders of the establishment.
Aleema further claimed that the current leadership makes decisions independently but attributes them to the party's founder. She insisted that they have no real intention of getting Imran Khan out of jail.
Sher Afzal Marwat's arrest becomes a mystery
In a related development, Sher Afzal Marwat was briefly detained by Islamabad Police for violating Section 144 but was later released after assuring the authorities that he would not incite unrest.
Marwat was reached Islamabad to attend the PTI rally that was scheduled at 4 pm at Tarnol in Islamabad and later was postponed.
On the other hand, his brother has claimed that Marwat was not actually released and that the family has no information about his current whereabouts.
According to the brother, Marwat was not present at the Golara Police Station after his reported arrest by Islamabad police and has been moved to an unknown location. The family is unaware of his location following the arrest.
TTAP leaders meet today
An emergency meeting of the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), an alliance of opposition parties, has been convened to address the concerns of the parties part of the alliance over former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan’s decision to postpone the rally, which was scheduled to be held at Tarnol, Islamabad later in the evening today, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday.
The meeting, which will be held at the residence of the alliance head and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s shortly, will also chalk out a future course of action.
Sources told 24News TV channel that Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Chairman Allama Raja Abbas Nair had earlier conveyed their concerns to the PTI leadership.
Allama had also expressed his displeasure with the PTI leadership on August 5; last time when the rally had been put off.
He had even registered a protest in this regard.
Reporter: Tayyab Saif