Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan's long march to Islamabad has been struggling to gain traction.
The party had been grappling with low headcount at the long march, according to a Dawn report carried on Wednesday. A "party insider" told the daily that the PTI was struggling citing a "lack of momentum" with the number of those joining the long march not ample enough to intimidate the "government or the establishment".
The PTI chief is also engaged in a "battle of nerves" with the government and establishment over his demand for snap elections, according to the newspaper. The PTI chairman's long march has barely covered 100 kilometres over its first five days. The PTI intends to reach destination Islamabad over the following 10 days. “All these factors are forcing Imran to take more time to generate momentum for desired results, as they do not seem a possibility at the moment," the party insider told the publication.
The party, another leader told the daily, was looking into changing the final destination of the long march from Islamabad to Rawalpindi. The leader cited the government's resolve to confront participants, the PTI being in power in the Punjab and the location of the General Headquarters (GHQ) as explanation.
"The PTI leadership is thinking of staging a sit-in in Pindi because it is in power in the province,” the individual said. The tweak will carry symbolic value since the GHQ, which is located in the city, is where the PTI chairman has been focusing at to cut a bargain. “The final decision, however, will be made once the march will reach the gates of Rawalpindi," the PTI leader said adding that the point of termination was being actively debated.
Earlier on Tuesday Imran likened himself to Bangladesh founder Shaikh Mujibur Rehman who had led the Awami League to a landslide victory in the 1970 general elections. He said Pakistan had been dismembered after Mujib had not been allowed to govern despite mandate. Imran said he too had been demanding general elections 'like Mujib'. Imran claimed the PTI was the largest pan federation party in Pakistan but its demand for general elections was not being accepted.
The party had been grappling with low headcount at the long march, according to a Dawn report carried on Wednesday. A "party insider" told the daily that the PTI was struggling citing a "lack of momentum" with the number of those joining the long march not ample enough to intimidate the "government or the establishment".
The PTI chief is also engaged in a "battle of nerves" with the government and establishment over his demand for snap elections, according to the newspaper. The PTI chairman's long march has barely covered 100 kilometres over its first five days. The PTI intends to reach destination Islamabad over the following 10 days. “All these factors are forcing Imran to take more time to generate momentum for desired results, as they do not seem a possibility at the moment," the party insider told the publication.
The party, another leader told the daily, was looking into changing the final destination of the long march from Islamabad to Rawalpindi. The leader cited the government's resolve to confront participants, the PTI being in power in the Punjab and the location of the General Headquarters (GHQ) as explanation.
"The PTI leadership is thinking of staging a sit-in in Pindi because it is in power in the province,” the individual said. The tweak will carry symbolic value since the GHQ, which is located in the city, is where the PTI chairman has been focusing at to cut a bargain. “The final decision, however, will be made once the march will reach the gates of Rawalpindi," the PTI leader said adding that the point of termination was being actively debated.
Earlier on Tuesday Imran likened himself to Bangladesh founder Shaikh Mujibur Rehman who had led the Awami League to a landslide victory in the 1970 general elections. He said Pakistan had been dismembered after Mujib had not been allowed to govern despite mandate. Imran said he too had been demanding general elections 'like Mujib'. Imran claimed the PTI was the largest pan federation party in Pakistan but its demand for general elections was not being accepted.