November 2 to be the new date for Islamabad Protest: Imran Khan

Imran Khan led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has announced November 2 as the new date for its much talked about Islamabad protest which was earlier scheduled for October 30.

Senior leaders of party had met in the capital today to decide a new date for the party's planned siege of Islamabad.

The dawn quoted Khan as saying, "Why are we holding this protest? Because a prime minister has been caught doing corruption. What do we want? A resignation or an investigation... Nawaz Sharif should be held accountable like the prime minister of Iceland who was also named in the Panama Papers."

Explaining the reason for change in the date of the plan, PTI vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the decision was taken primarily due to the annual election of the Supreme Court Bar Association scheduled to be held on Oct 31. He said that the PTI leadership had been conveyed the concern of lawyers that the planned siege of the capital on Oct 30 could disturb their election.

Qureshi said that the concern expressed by the lawyers' leadership made sense so we have decided to change the date.

As part of the party's accountability movement against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and members of his family in the wake of the Panama Papers leaks, PTI chairman Imran Khan had unveiled his plan to paralyse Islamabad.

Party vice-chairman said that it could be T20, one day or five-day test match, and if the government didn't behave, "we are even ready for a tournament".

Qureshi stated, "Other political parties in particular and the masses in general must understand that the accountability movement is not for the removal of the prime minister or power grab by the PTI, but to bring the former to the dock.