Long march: Participants told to fast, bring rations

Meals will be served collectively by the party: MQI member

LAHORE: The Tehreek-i-Minhajul Quran International has asked its supporters to observe a fast and perform ritual ablutions when setting out for their long march to Islamabad on Sunday. A senior official of the Tehreek said that the followers of Dr Tahirul Qadri had been asked to observe a fast if possible during the journey. Meals will be served collectively by the party, he said, but each person had also been advised to bring along a three-day supply of dry fruit, fruit, pickles and bread to sustain them on the march, as well as medicine for the treatment of flu, cough, fever and cold in view of the chilly weather. The official said that the Tehreek had made cooking arrangements at the site in Islamabad where the march would culminate, but the administration had dismantled the temporary infrastructure over security concerns.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2013.