LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s youth force and loyalists remained absent from the protecting layer around the container carrying party chief Imran Khan when it was attacked by a mob in Gujranwala.

The Insaf Youth Wing had constituted a 3,000-member quick response force called “Insaf Youth Special Services Group” (IY-SSG) to give cover to the leaders as well as other long march participants.

PTI’s central joint secretary Shabbir Sial had told a news conference that the party had registered 4,000 “shrouded loyalists” to protect Imran Khan and other leaders and participants in the Azadi March.

An IYW member told Dawn that the youth wing activists had moved fast on GT Road when the caravan got late in Lahore. Still, he said, a few IYW and ISF activists were covering the party chief’s container. During the attack, he said, four IYW and three ISF activists got injured.

“Since we are holding a peaceful march, the youngsters did not even carry clubs,” he added.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2014