Army unwilling to allow rally at Parade Ground, alleges PTI.

ISLAMABAD -- After failing to get permission for its public meeting scheduled for the eve of Independence Day despite proposing three venues in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has decided to shift the event to Lahore.

'We have been told that the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has already applied for its public meeting at Parade Ground on Aug 13. However, we have reached the conclusion that the permission was conditional to the nod of the 111 Brigade that is not willing to allow us. Otherwise, we would have been allowed one of our proposed venues,' PTI Islamabad president Ali Awan said while talking to Dawn.

On Aug 6, the PTI's political committee had announced plans to hold a power show in the federal capital on Aug 13, the eve of Independence Day. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by PTI chairman Imran Khan and attended by its senior leadership, including Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari, Omar Ayub, Saifullah Niazi and others. Mr Khan had also stated that he would announce his party's future strategy during the event, and that is why directions were issued to party leaders to ensure an 'impressive' show of power.

Mr Awan said the PTI had sought permission from the district administration to hold its public meeting at the Parade Ground, but it was informed that the TLP had already applied for the venue.

Aug 13 power show moved to Lahore

'Then we requested [the administration] to shift the public meeting to Rawalpindi...