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Saturday, April 20, 2024  
09 Shawwal 1445  

Number game: How many people were at PTI’s Islamabad jalsa?

Approximations vary wildly from claims of as many as two million people to as little as ten thousand
A view of the PTI public gathering at the parade ground in Islamabad. Photo via Twitter/@HaleemAdil
A view of the PTI public gathering at the parade ground in Islamabad. Photo via Twitter/@HaleemAdil

Images of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s rally at the Parade Ground in Islamabad on Sunday have sparked a social media debate on the number of people in attendance.

The show of power by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in Islamabad came a day before the National Assembly session in which the no no-confidence motion is expected to be tabled. PM Imran and his party leaders have claimed that this was “one of the biggest” rallies in the country’s history.

With several people citing different sources, it’s unclear whether the PM succeeded in crossing the much touted one million people threshold.

The stage secretary claimed that over two million people had gathered at the event. Islamabad police said around 60,000 to 70,000 people were present at the venue, and data collected by the Intelligence Bureau claimed that only 26,000 people attended the rally, reported Geo News.

Independent sources cited other numbers.

Anchor-person Garidah Farooqi said in a tweet that 30,000 to 40,000 people and not more were present at the Parade Ground.

Journalist Talat Hussain also shared a number. “Final intel count. 40,000 plus including those on the road outside the main gate,” he said.

Journalist Saqib Tanveer denied the stage secretary’s claim of two million people present at the venue. “About 100,000 people can come to the parade ground. And the PTI has even kept the chairs at a distance. According to the Map Checking Service, even if the ground is full, only 112,000 people can enter the ground. 1.5 to 2 million claims are being made from the stage,” he said in a tweet.

Journalist Meher Bokhari called out her colleagues and asked to not let individual leaning reflect on their work.

Meanwhile social media users dubbed the rally “history making.”

Prime Minister Imran Khan thanked everyone who attended the rally through a tweet.

https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1508138891529768962

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