LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) long march has kicked off under the leadership of chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan from Lahore’s Liberty Chowk, ARY News reported on Friday.
Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan reached Liberty Chowk from his residence Zaman Park to lead the party’s Azadi Long March.
The PTI chief is marching toward Islamabad to force the incumbent government to announce a date for early elections.
Imran Khan along with senior party leaders, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Ali Zaidi, Shafqat Mahmood, Faisal Javed Khan, Sheikh Rasheed, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Musarat Cheema and other leaders can be seen on the container.
Imran Khan says fighting for haqiqi azadi
Addressing the participants before heading towards Islamabad, former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan said the time has come to start the journey for haqiqi azadi (real freedom).
The motive of the march is not personal or political but wants to free the nation from slavery, the former premier maintained.
He said that decisions regarding Pakistan should be taken here not in Washington. No one should direct Pakistan to join others’ wars.
The people of the country are facing the worst inflation because thieves are ruling the country. Imran Khan said the demand for fair and transparent elections in the country is not an unconditional demand.
A large number of people have already reached Lahore’s famous chowk to participate in the long march against the incumbent government.
Islamabad administration refuses NOC to PTI
The Islamabad Administration on Friday rejected Pakistan Tehreek Insaf’s no-objection certificate of the party to hold its gathering in the federal capital.
The district administration, in a letter asked PTI to satisfy the administration in writing, adding that the party had violated the NOC that was provided to it on May 25.
Long march schedule
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has finalised the complete schedule of the Imran Khan-led long march.
- The long march will be formally started from Liberty Chowk, Lahore after Friday prayers.
- The first destination of the PTI marchers will be completed from Liberty Chowk to Shahdara Interchange on Friday night.
- The PTI marchers will stay the Friday at Shahdara after Imran Khan’s speech.
- On Saturday, the long march will be resumed to reach its next destination in Gujranwala.
- On Sunday, the participants of the long march will reach Gujrat where Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and Moonis Elahi will welcome the marchers. The PTI marchers will stay at Sarai Alamgir between Gujrat and Jhelum.
Read more: PTI FINALISES COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF IMRAN KHAN-LED LONG MARCH
- In Sialkot, PTI leader Usman Dar will welcome the marchers. Imran Khan will stay at Usman Dar’s residence.
- On Monday, PTI central leader Fawad Chaudhry will host the marchers in Jhelum.
- On Tuesday, the Imran Khan-led march will stay in Rawat after passing through Gujar Khan. The PTI chief will address the marchers in Rawat.
- On Wednesday, Imran Khan will finalise the strategy to make advancement to Islamabad. The convoys of PTI workers from South and North Punjab will join the marchers in Rawat.
- The convoys will join the central rally from Sargodha, Chakwal, Mianwali, Bhakkar and Layyah. The PTI central leaders will decide on heading to the next destination in Faizabad.
- A plan will be devised for leading the convoys from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to Islamabad.
- PTI convoys from Karachi, Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan and Multan will join the central rally at Shahdara Interchange on Saturday.
- PTI workers will be made part of the central rally in order to give them rest.
- The Imran Khan-led rally will take four to six days to reach the federal capital.
Interior ministry pens letter to all provincial govts
Ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) long march towards Islamabad, the Interior Ministry has reiterated that no political party would be allowed to destablise state ‘through forceful measures’.
Also Read: PTI unveils Long March schedule for beginning day
According to details, the interior ministry penned down a letter to all the provincial governments and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) governments.
“It is imperative that federal and provincial governments should act in unison and follow the constitutional provisions to maintain law and order in the country,” the ministry said in the notification.
“The importance of adhering to the Constitution and laws of the land by all relevant including the federal/provincial/special area governments can hardly be over-emphasised as it is an obligation for all governments under the constitutional and legal framework of the country,” the letter stated.
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