ISLAMABAD: The core committee of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) decided on Monday to continue its sit-in Islamabad and hold rallies in cities across the country.

The party’s top decision-making body laid down strict guidelines for its rallies to avert a recurrence of the Multan tragedy which claimed seven lives.

Know more: Imran stands adamant as some PTI workers tire of sit-in

In future public meetings, only a limited number of PTI leaders will be allowed on the stage after clearance by the party leadership. For security of people attending the rallies, the committee decided to give a free hand to the local civil administration. The party will look after only the management of the stage.

The PTI will hold a public rally in Sarghodha on Oct 17 and in Faisalabad on Oct 23.

Imran Khan has announced that his party will demonstrate its strength in Larkana, the home town of the Bhuttos, on Nov 21.

Party’s core committee lays down guidelines to avert recurrence of Multan tragedy

A senior PTI leader told Dawn that the core committee had decided to highlight rights of minorities and to invite speakers on the container on Oct 19 for the purpose. A similar event would be held on Oct 24 on the issue of welfare of people with disabilities.

“An overwhelming majority in the PTI believes that the stage is set to further party’s popularity among the masses because it has been receiving a massive response from the people since the launching of Azadi March on Aug14,” a member of the committee told Dawn.

Also read: PTI asks workers to use social media to sustain sit-in

The party leaders, he said, were happy over massive participation of people in the rallies and had decided to take the momentum forward.

When asked if the PTI had decided on a timeline or cut-off date for its rallies, he said since the party’s message was “resonating with the common man” the movement would continue till it achieved its objective of bringing about a change in the country.

“At the moment, we have charted our plan for up to the end of December.”

Another member of the core committee said that since the party was attracting huge crowds at its rallies, “the only rational line of action for us should be to build more pressure on the government”.

He said: “We are very much open for talks if the government is genuinely interested in making the dialogue result-oriented.”

If the PML-N believed that things would remain the same, it was seriously mistaken because people had started gaining awareness about their political rights, he said.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2014