Qadri not to join PTI's Nov. 2 sit-in

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chairman Dr, Tahirul Qadri will not be joining the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's lockdown of Islamabad scheduled for tomorrow.

According to the party leaders, there was a chance of Qadri's participation at the sit-in at the eleventh hour but now PAT Secretary General Khurrum Nawaz Gandapur has been asked to lead party workers' delegation, reports the Express Tribune.

Gandapur confirmed while speaking at a meeting of PAT Executive Council yesterday that he would lead his party activists at the sit-in strike.

PAT Information Secretary Noorullah Siddiqi said, "We have asked our party organisations from Jhelum to Rawalpindi to attend the sit-in while people from far-flung areas have not been invited as we do not have accommodation facilities for them."

Qadri had last month claimed that the PTI's 'lockdown' plan of Islamabad will be monitored by him from Canada.

PAT officials said that party members have been asked by Qadri to adopt a neutral stance and refrain from making statements that either support or confront PTI.

Siddiqi said, "We support PTI's demand for an enquiry into corruption. However, we [do not support the party's plan to] shut down Islamabad.