Fazl sticks to his demands as ‘Azadi March’ moves towards Islamabad

Thousa­nds marchi­ng to federa­l capita­l, seek resign­ation of PM Imran Khan

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl's (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman reiterated his call for Prime Minister Imran Khan's resignation and the dismissal of the government as the opposition's 'Azadi March' reached Gujar Khan on its way to the federal capital.

Thousands of protesters will embark upon the final leg of their journey on Thursday and start moving towards Islamabad during afternoon hours and are expected to reach the federal capital later in the day.

A PML-N convoy, headed by party president Shehbaz Sharif, will also leave for Islamabad and join the JUI-F-led march.

Interior Minister Ijaz Shah, while addressing the media, said the federal government will fully facilitate the opposition’s march and will not create hurdles.

“On the instructions of the prime minister, the protestors from the four provinces have been fully facilitated,” said the minister.

“We provided them water, electricity and a traffic plan on their way to Islamabad so that reach the federal capital without any untoward incident,” he added and further said it is the first time in the history of the country that a sitting prime minister has given the go-ahead to a protest march by the opposition.

Referring to other opposition parties, Ijaz said those who wanted use Rehman’s march and create anarchy in the country have failed as the government decided not to stop the protest.

“They have been given the route of Faizabad and 9th avenue to reach their designated place of protest in sector H-9,” said Shah. “The container of Maulana Fazlur Rehman will be given a separate route so that he could comfortably reach the protest place.”



Traffic Plan

The Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has issued a traffic plan for the participants of the rally and the general public.

https://twitter.com/SSPITP/status/1189674772038373376

https://twitter.com/SSPITP/status/1189676322043375622

اسلام آباد ٹریفک پولیس نے شہر بھر کے لیے متبادل ٹریفک پلان جاری کر دیا. #IslamabadPolice #TrafficDiversion #Polizens

@SSPITP @dcislamabad @PTVNewsOfficial @murtazasolangi pic.twitter.com/dBUESwxwmo

— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) October 30, 2019

Earlier, while leaving from Lahore, Rehman said that his ‘Azadi March’ was no longer just a protest but has transformed into a national movement, stressing that “this movement” would succeed.

He stressed that if the public opinion was not respected then his party would ensure that it becomes even stronger.

“We do not use the word sit-in because this is a public movement. If we do not achieve the result, it does not mean that movement will stop. From Karachi to Lahore and to Islamabad, the people have decided that there was no more room for this government,” he remarked.

The JUI-F chief said that he was fighting for the “survival of the real democracy” in the country, adding that the entire nation was united on the demand of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s resignation.



“Imran Khan must resign to prevent his horrible end,” he said. “The government has sold Kashmir. They cannot rule the country anymore,” he added. “All the parties have shown the national unity on this issue.”

Describing the accountability process a “drama”, Fazl said that these “dramas” would end soon. “Today, a labourer, a peasant is worried about his work. The youth see their future bleak. The economy is in jeopardy under this government.”