ISLAMABAD: Converting its plan to lock down the capital into a day of thanksgiving, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) asked its supporters to gather for a million-man public meeting at the Parade Ground.

Following the Supreme Court hearing of Panamagate petitions, PTI activists gathered outside Imran Khan`s hilltop residence in Banigala and celebrated the decision.

`On the request of the Supreme Court, we have called off our lockdown plan and now we will bring one million people to the Parade Ground to express gratitude to Allah Almighty on the apex court`s assurance that Nawaz Sharif`s accountability will start from [Nov 5],` Imran Khan told workers soon afterthe courtproceedingsended.

`I ask all Pakistanis; families, women and children, to come to the Parade Ground at 2pm to celebratethe court`s decision and express gratitude in a formal manner,` he added.

Referring to the SC decision, Mr Khan called it `not only a victory for the PTI but for the entire nation, especially the suppressed classes`, since this was `the first time a powerful man is being held accountable` However, many believe that Mr Khan has put himself in a bind by calling for a million people to gather in Islamabad. If he fails, he will definitely face severe criticism from theruling Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N).

On Tuesday evening, the PTI submitted a formal application to the Islamabad administration, seeking permission for a public meeting at the Parade Ground.

Earlier in the day, PTI workers continued to stream into Banigala, but were stopped by police at barricades erected outside Mr Khan`s hilltop residence. Police also picked up senior PTI leaders, including Andleeb Abbas and Waleed Iqbal.This led to skirmishes between PTI workers and police, forcing the latter to fire teargas and batoncharge the agitators.

Following the calling off announcement, workers started gathering outside Mr Khan`s residence and tried to force their way inside. However, they were prevented from gate-crashing by the PTI chief`s security detail, and only a select group of party leaders was allowed inside.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT), which accompanied PTI in its 2014 sit-in, rejected the decision of cancelling the lockdown and expressed its disappointment over the announcement.

`Personally, I am not in favour of the PTI`s decision and believe that matter will linger on in the courts, PAT chief Allama Dr Tahirul Qadri told a private TV channel.

PAT secretary general Khurram Nawaz Gandapur told Dawn that more than 10,000 PAT workers had been mobilised and were ready to take part in the PTI`s planned lockdown. He claimed that the PAT was not taken into confidence when it was decided to shelve the shutdown.

`I have been in Islamabad along with the party`s Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa leadership and hundreds of workers in order to participate in the PTI`s agitation,` he said.