ISLAMABAD: As the government resorted to arresting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers including popular sound and lights operator DJ Butt, talks by both the protesting parties was suspended on Saturday.
The breakdown in talks at the month long mark has cast a shadow over the fragile stop-start negotiation process between the government and the protesting parties.
However, the government defended its crackdown on protesters, claiming only those people were being arrested who were involved in acts of violence including the attack on Pakistan Television Network building.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
- Islamabad High Court orders release of all arrested PTI supporters
- IG Islamabad fails to obey court orders, says protesters should be put under house arrest
- Both, Imran and Qadri have given supporters tacit permission to react in kind if police moves to arrest them or uses aggression
- Imran Khan has warned the government to release detained workers by Monday otherwise they will stage sit-ins outside police stations where workers are being held
Read all our coverage of PTI’s Azadi March here and the Inqilab March here. Updates of the Islamabad protests from September 12 and 13, 2014, can be found here.
September 15, 02:30am
Imran Khan was able to free 15 Pakistan Tehreek Insaf workers who were being taken to police station by the Islamabad police, Express News reported.
According to details, Imran Khan while heading to his residence in Bani Gala was informed that 15 PTI workers were detained by the police.
After receiving the information Imran intercepted the police prison van near Lake View Park that was carrying 15 PTI workers.
On Imran Khan’s inquiry about the offense of those workers, police was not able to reply in a satisfactory manner.
Therefore, Imran Khan asked the police to release his workers and took them to Bani Gala.
September 14, 10:45pm
PTI chairman Imran Khan announces to visit Sindh and Baluchistan provinces after toppling the Nawaz government.
"'Tsunami' will also advance towards Karachi after Nawaz Sharif's resignation."
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September 14, 9:52pm
Imran Khan says a page has been created on PTI’s official website, Insaf.pk, where PTI workers and supporters can report about atrocities committed by policemen against them, Express News reports.
The PTI chief, while presenting governance statistics of the country, says Pakistan’s expenditure on health sector is lowest in the region.
“While 31 per cent of children in Pakistan are underweight, 44 per cent of them are suffering from stunted growth,” he says, adding that the country also has a high infant mortality rate.
Imran further claims that only 30 per cent of total expenditure on health in the country is spent by the government while the rest comes from the private sector.
The rulers were making metros and bridges instead of spending the funds on health and education, he adds.
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September 14, 9:50pm
PTI chairman Imran Khan addressing sit-in protesters.
PHOTO: EXPRESSNEWS SCREENGRAB
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September 14, 8:04pm
Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Tahirul Qadri while addressing participants of 'Inquilab' March sit-in alleges that a bridge on river Chinab was built to save two sugar mills of the Sharif family, Express News reported.
"Rulers saved their sugar mills after destroying thousands of settlements," he says.
Meanwhile, the PAT chief asked his supporters to write “go Nawaz go” on every single currency note in the country.
Read the full story here.
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September 14, 7:58pm
JI Amir Sirajul Haq says 'opposition jirga' has given suggestions to resolve current political deadlock, Express News reported.
"We will advance once there is a response over our recommendations," he adds.
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September 14, 7:20pm
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah says those demonstrating in Islamabad do not believe in Parliament, Express News reported.
"Families in Punjab are grief-stricken because of deaths and destruction caused by floods but those protesting are celebrating," he says, adding that dialogue with protesters is government's responsibility.
Shah adds that no one can become a prime minister through 'musical shows', and that the opposition will safeguard democracy.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Pervez Rashid says Imran Khan is misleading the masses.
"Giving a deadline in front of 2,000 supporters neither brings freedom nor revolution," he adds.
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September 14, 6:44pm
Javed Hashmi says there would be a big rebellion in the country if martial law is imposed, Express News reported.
Sit-ins would bear no result, adds Hashmi.
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September 14, 3:45pm
Addressing his supporters, PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri says his workers are being tortured as he presents on stage his workers injured by what he calls “metal bullets.”
“We will take revenge from the present rulers,” Qadri adds.
Qadri alleges that 2,331 PAT supporters have been arrested in the past three days.
Express News screengrab of PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri addressing his supporters.
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September 14, 3:18pm
PTI leader Azam Swati says their sit-in will continue till Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigns.
“We have sacrificed to lay the foundation of a ‘naya’ Pakistan,” Swati says, talking to media representatives after being released on bail.
"They arrested us on fabricated FIRs," Swati adds.
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September 14, 2:18pm
DJ Butt has also been released from Adiala Jail along with 150 other PTI supporters, Express News reports.
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September 14, 2:15pm
A magistrate court has ordered the release of PTI leader Azam Swati on bail, Express News reports.
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September 14, 12:37pm
PTI leader Azam Swati, who was arrested along with other party supporters yesterday, appears before a magistrate’s court in Islamabad’s F-8 sector.
Swati was arrested for obstructing police in the course of their duty.
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September 14, 10:41am
IG Islamabad refuses to release PTI supporters who were arrested on charges of disrupting peace, Express News reports.
He tells the district magistrate that these protesters should be put under house arrest as they had been disrupting peace in the federal capital. The IG further accuses some of the arrested supporters of attacking PTV Centre.
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September 14, 10:31am
The Islamabad High Court orders release of all arrested PTI supporters. The chief justice of IHC also issues a notice to the government and sought reply on September 17 over its decision to arrest protesters.
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September 14, 12:58am
Imran Khan appears on stage for the last time this evening. He presents his ideology for a ‘Naya’ (new) Pakistan.
“In Naya Pakistan, law will be equal for everyone, whether for the prime minister or for the common man. “
He goes on to add that they will provide education, health, food and easy access to justice. “We will allocate the most funds for education. No government has allocated as much funds as we have done in K-P. We will spend most of the money on teachers.”
It is believed that his will add to his earlier outline of a unified education system with a focus on Allama Iqbal, though not immediately clear whether these are two cogs of the same education policy.
Further, the PTI chief adds that they will implement such a local government system in which every village will have access to their own development funds, run their own schools and have greater power over services sector. To ensure that the police does not only serve the needs of the rich and powerful, a village ‘committee’ will be formed oversee workings of local police.
On the economic front, Imran Khan says as prime minister, if brought into power by the people he adds quickly, they will not seek loans. In the event of a budget deficit, Imran asks his supporters if they think he will go and ask for loans? The crowd responds in ‘No’. Imran continues that if their expenses exceed their income, they will try to cut their expenses to balance the books.
Amid reports of a baton-charge by police, Imran directs his supporters to take them on. He goes on to advise his supporters move around in groups of 100 so that even if the police tries to arrest them, the PTI supporters can "attack" the police. Imran justifies it, claiming that the police is operating illegally if they try to arrest supporters.
Imran Khan has returned below, into the container.
An Islamabad police official seems to have been apprehended by PTI supporters who rough the officer up. However, please from the PTI organising committee sees the officer being led away from the thick of supporters.
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PTI is also protesting in Karachi at Sea View and at Hyderi in North Nazimabad.
#AzadiSquare 13.09.2014 huge crowd at #Karachi protest. pic.twitter.com/6Qqi3n9rxe
— PTI (@PTIofficial) September 13, 2014
September 13, 11:58pm
PAT president Raheeq Abbasi has arrived atop the PTI container near D-Chowk following instructions from Dr Tahirul Qadri.
Abbasi says the government thought they would hold the longest joint session in the history of Pakistan and call the protesters traitors, but all it showed was that the parties in parliament were united against the people who who had gathered outside the parliament against their governance.
Police & govt have run amok registering FIRs against PTI mbrs not even in Pak presently like Fauzia Kasuri in Margala Thana FIR 629!Shameful
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) September 13, 2014
PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi called on PML-N's Sardar Mumtaz Bhutto to condole over the death of latter's sister-in-law. PHOTO: APP
COMMENTS (38)
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Your words are extremely right on! This is what the so called 'educated' bunch that are attending IK's dharna do not understand. They cannot forsee what would happen if Nawaz was to leave. Sad to see that they are unable to see past their noses. IK's grand delusional plans to make a naya Pak from somebody who has no political experience whatsoever.
What Jirga has in its basket? Former PPP Interior Minister Malik Rehman said which I have heard myself on TV saying that Jirga has proposed some plan which must be equally acceptable to Imran + Qadri + Nawaz but he did not spell out what could be that. Nation is impatiently waiting to know the proposal and if it really satisfies all the 3 interesting parties then this would be appreciated by the nation as a whole and not Imran + Qadri + Nawaz. What surpises me the most is that all Aristotles + Platos are with PM Nawaz which could not solve the riddle but nevertheless Jirga has shown mirror to all the Aristotles + Platos. Former Minister let me just give you a piece of advice to please bring out the cat from the bag soonest possible lest she dies of suffocation in the bag. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Former Diplomat / Kuwait / zaidiformerdiplomat@hotmail.com
@goggi
Everything is not wrong because of religion. Your comments show the same bigotry as you blame the others of, but in the opposite direction.
IK must have broken the record for making asinine political statements in Pakistan perhaps matched only by the Rana of Punjab government. If one could have ever credited him with any intelligent basis for taking the nation forward, he has categorically dashed such hopes with his demagoguery, his personalization of politics, his hypocrisy and for introducing what amounts to gutter language in the discourse of Pakistani politics.
Not only he but his core committee appears to be blindfolded, if not really hapless, in front of what can only be described as a piece from 'The Madness of King George'. The public has repeatedly rejected calls to come out on the streets - even in the home province of PTI, KPK snd still such appeals keep coming from IK. This is height of delusion.
PTI has now created so much revulsion among people that if somehow NS is coerced or a situation is contrived in which he has to leave, a genuine long march and outpouring on the streets of Pakistan would occur. Such a reaction would arise not from any love for NS or his government but for a genuine loathing of PTI's role and its collusion with demagogues like PAT in overthrowing a genuinely elected government.
The genuine supporters of PTI, a fast dwindling community, should do dome soul searching and question their leadership for taking them towards this precipitous decline in PTI's popularity and clout. A dignified exit is becoming increasingly difficult to foresee and short of another suicidal attempt like the storming of parliament, no exit appears likely. This is where the real danger lies.
Qadri is igniting sectarian tensions. He is trying to destroy the fragile sectarian peace, sectarian balance in Pakistan. People should be aware of his agenda.
IK govt with the Supreme Court orders released the prisoners, now you too obey the Supreme Court,instead of blaming everyone who does not agree with you.
No honest adult person can live as many days without work as these two thugs have spent on containers. Write "Go Nawaz Go" on currency notes and give them to these thugs who know how to erase the writing.
Dear IK Donot try threaten govt servants. Govt obeyed IHC directives.
You must follow the decision and evacuate Shara e Jamurat.
IK should realize the fact that destiny of nation cannot be changed by delivering speech before handful of mummy daddy workers.
@Rizwan: Way to go Nawaz go baby go
Dear Mr.IK
I hope you will address your tsunami for one week in the morning from 0900 hrs to 1200.
Ik and Qadri just needed some time to expose themselves and selfish cronies who are in capable of managing even their own families. Its good that the reality of two faced sick Canadian and a ego maniac imran is now in front of all of us. No Resignation will come, Eid will come and these two lunatics will continue to shout.
@Fatima Why is that every one who writes for PMLN favor or against IK is Paid by some one? I am really curious as what is that make your "I am sure you are paid by PMLN" ? I honestly think the disease of imagining some thing and believing its true has gotten to your PTI followers. Pity on you.
The Govt. is wishy-washy. It should get the dharnis out or get out.
@Iqbal Hadi Zaidi: Your agenda driven comments are nothing new.
Go Nawaz Go
IK govt with the Supreme Court orders released the prisoners, now you too obey the Supreme Court,instead of blaming everyone who does not agree with you.
Imran khan speaks.of An education system.based.on Allama.Iqbal.which is.gonna.be brought through a.revolution with dj.butts mixes,.what a joke, a guy who has a dj making men n women dance together.speaks.of an education system based.on Allama Iqbals teachings Perhaps he shouldel learn what the great Iqbal said about music . he said when the sound of musical instruments instead of swords.clanking on the battlefields becomes the choice of a nation nothing can save them from downfall. Imran khan will destroy whatever's left of our culture and deen if.he.comes in power.
Allama iqbals education system also includes removing islamic stuff as they just did in kpk?
Congratulations 4 Imran + Thanks 4 Nawaz. All those belonging to PTI arrested yesterday have been released today and therefore I must congratulate Imran for getting back all of those who were taken off from him yesterday. Perhaps ID Isalambad + IG Punjab heard Imran threatening them to take to task when he comes into power for arresting his supporters. However, I cannot be so immoral not to thank thank PM Nawaz also proving to be so very kind to release all those who were arrested. I suggest Imran must announce special celebrations for his loved ones who missed yesterday proceedings which were at peak in any case because I could thousands of people listening to Imran. Long is live Imran, long live his supporters including me. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait / Former Diplomat / zaidiformerdiplomat@hotmail.com
GO NAWAZ GO
Not surprisingly the girl who was ganged rape bythe sons of a pmln politcian has withdrawn her complaint. I would be very intrtested to see if my pmln friends can explain to me how justice has been done? Dont tell me the script writer is also behind this? Then you wonder why people hate pmln!?!
@Ch. Allah Daad:
When there were floods in KP, you guys were making fun of it. But PTI government handled it very well. Now when its in Punjab and incompetent provincial govt cant deal with it, you are crying. Are you still getting $1.88 for each comment?
I went to the dharna last night, not because of Imran Khan (have never been his ardent fan, to be honest), nor for PTI (I'm not even a passive member) and neither for 'shughal' (I've got a tight schedule in Pakistan and have to get back to family, living out of Pakistan) but for the sake of just Pakistan. What I saw at the dharna was te spirit of this great nation called Pakistan. I saw the educated and the uneducated leaderless masses being 'educated'. I saw a man (NOT an angel) on top of a makeshift rostrum showing the nation it's image in the mirror. I heard him say that right at this point in our lives we have only 2 choices, to be with this inglorious 'parliament' of debauch or to standby this spirited assembly of people outside the walls and vowing to protect the pride of this country. The choice now is yours as has always been.
@Ch. Allah Daad I am sure you are being paid by PML-N to post such baseless comments. You make it sound likeall the economic development that was going to take place in Pakistan since its 65 year history starting August 1947 was supposed to happen in August-September 2014 only. Even if you dislike PTI stop defending a corrupt regime. You should go and study some economics before making comments. The one trillion figure quoted by PML is completely illogical considering the size of our economy.
What kind of state institutions are you talking about the parliament, the supreme court ??? Ask your inner conscious are these institutions really serving the public or the ELITE.
if the government can setup fake flood relief camps as caught on TV they can also infiltrate the unarmed protestors to build a case for arrest. Don’t trust what the government is saying. If the government spoke the truth Pakistan wouldn’t be in the position it is in today in the world…deal with reality it is cause of these PPP PML type of rulers that Pakistan’s image is destroy.
Live abroad and you will learn most people Muslims and Non-Muslims alike do not like Pakistanis as consider us as extremists and dishonest cause of our deteriorating national image.
These politicians all have their property and wealth abroad and hold dual citizenship..they will simply escape when their turn to loot is over but think about yourself and your family… we are here to stay and even if you dislike PTI should stop defending the corrupt regimes of PPP or PML.
It is high time to get rid go the Mafia government of Nawaz Sharif. If it's not done now it will never be done and generations to come will live under oppression and hardship. If someone like Imran Khan cannot get justice in courts what chance is there for any poor person. If corruption is at the top management level of the country it will no doubt run all the way through to the very bottom and the country will remain in doom and gloom. We should all be supporting the struggle to bring about a just and law abiding state if there is to be any real progress.
@Humza: My dear friend yours "We all saw what is happening in Syria, Libya, Tunisia, Iraq and Egypt." ... yes the "hatt dharam" leaders there didn't listen to the voice of the masses and then the West got a chance to butt in ... don't YOU see that ?
@Ch. Allah Daad: My friend it seems you are on the PML(N) pay list ... one trillion Rs. loss to whom ... not the common man but the bank balances all over the globe of your leaders ... yeh economy kiss kaam ki jiss say ghareeb ko duo waqt roti na millay ? or maybe your "Chaudhra'at" is at stake in naya Pakistan ?
@Humza: Let's break-up your argument into pieces: 1. Nonsensical drama - A movement which led people of Pakistan to leave their homes and come out in massive numbers to fight for their rights for 30 days in a row is something unheard of in any country of the world... 2. Not worthy of serious attention - Yeah that's why the entire media (including Geo) are running special day-long transmissions.... 3. IK has done nothing in KPK - yeah it was the PML-N which set up mobile courts, depoliticized the police, introduced online FIR system, formed anti-corruption unit, minimum protocol for all politicians, numerous persons arrested on account of corruption regardless of which party they belonged to, electronic voting system, right to information etc. 4. Few thousand violent protesters - For 30 days, this massive crowd has remained peaceful, the government tried to use all violent tactics, including blocking roads by containers, teargas, shelling, killing innocent people, trying to create chaos, yet, this massive crowd did not react violently. 5. They deserved to be arrested long ago - Yeah and the people who blatantly lie on the floor of the parliament again and again deserve to remain in power and as they are above the law and sole saviors of democracy..... 6. The west says that 2013 elections were relatively free and fair - Yet all the parties including PML-N, PPP, ANP and all other main stream parties openly claimed that the elections have been rigged. FAFEN reports, mobile videos, confessions by senior ECP members and judges, briefing of the ROs by former CJ are all fake and the opinion of the west is ture.... 7. Our country is now being compared to Ethopia, Somalia and Uganda already, what improvements are you talking about... 8. If anything, the government needs to show maturity, take responsibility for its actions and instead of saving their own interests in the name of democracy, actually do something for the poor people of Pakistan
Imran Khan is a big time dream merchant, selling utopian dreams to the gullible audience in attendance who are easily fooled by him. He had made some tall promises before elections to solve all major problems facing Pakistan within three months of taking over as PM but failed to solve anyone of them in PTI ruled KP even after one year which only shows his inability to turn his dreams into reality and also puts a huge question mark on his credibility. The man is in a hurry to topple the democratically elected govt making un-constitutional demands hoping that the third umpire would intervene which has since receded therefore, loss of face for him and his party appears to be imminent.
Democracy presupposes a democratic and tolerant disposition and mindset in advance. Pakistani society lacks the education of reciprocity, listening, mutual fairness and equality. Hence all hue and cry for a humanistic and democratic Pakistan is a frame-up of politicians and clergies, as if blinds defining blinds what is light!
Pakistani culture is hallmarked by morbid religious bigotry, inequality of genders, forced prostitution, forced poverty, mass pedophilia, mass child abuse, self-evident discrimination and intolerance towards non-Muslims, homosexuals, Shemales and the boundless violence....in thoughts, words and actions. These are the features of a totalitarian state with a totalitarian ideology. It follows that our totally commercialized society, following blindly a totally commercialized religion is inhumane.
God bless you Imran khan, you have changed the Pakistan , I love you very much and also all of my family. You have already changed the Pakistan , now I am waiting the chain reaction.
@Humza: @Ch. Allah Daad: PMLN Sheep go BAA BAA BAA, BAA BAA BAA, all around the town.
I have not been a worshiper of IK but his tenacity and his message, the same with Qadri, have driven home to me the injustices the common man faces. The floods, a repeat of 2010 and the non-compliance with the Flood Commission report by the same lot now governing Punjab as then, leaves me in no doubt of their culpability in events shaping Punjab and the worsening law and order situation. Unrest and protests are a by-product of Sharif's tenure. Arresting people from home is not on. Its time to rid ourselves of this corrupt Parliament and hold to account all those who sit in it. The same for Punjab Police who are notorious for invading peoples home and arresting them in the dead of the night. .
I prayed 2 rakat nafal namaz last night and it paid back. No blood, thanks Allah.I was very much awed myself when I switched off tv at the time as the date has changed since it was aired that police is rounding up all those who are returning after attending dharnas and therefore Imran came back at stage telling the people that they should not go alone or in small numbers but in a group of 100 persons so that police cannot arrest them. Imran also charged his supporters by saying that they instead of surrendering to the police should beat the police. Earlier I had listened to Dr Qadri who also had allowed his supporters to pounce and beat any police man if he tries to arrest you whereas tv channels kept on announcing that heavy police contingents have cordoned off the whole area and even those people who are neither Imran nor Qadri supporters but being found in the nearby areas are being arrested. I heard the news that police arrested many at Zero Point believing that they are returning from dharnas. The picture was very much gloomy to be honest and being miles away I could only pray for calm and wished that police should not crack down on the people which include not only women but kids also and if they are attacked by police then God knows what could happen. I in sheer desperation offered 2 rakat nafal namaz praying that come what may human blood should not spill over. I had also written my comments before offering namaz wherein I had asked as to which IG is in command as in addition to IG Islamabad, IG Punjab is also stationed in Islamabad but my those comments are not published. Summing up, none should be even injured what to talk of killing is my only prayer. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Former Diplomat / Kuwait
It's time for the nonsensical drama to end. Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri have shown everyone that they are not worthy of serious attention. Imran Khan is a poor loser who has done nothing in KPK but he is obsessed with destabilizing the nation. Tahirul Qadri has no authority whatsoever to be complaining about anything in Pakistan while he lives on welfare in Canada with his family. Both of these so called leaders lead a few thousand violent protesters to damage public property, attack police with sticks and rocks and destroy the economy in Pakistan that was improving. Shame on them and those who support anarchy. They deserved to be arrested long ago and this action is long overdue. A few thousand should never be allowed to hold millions of people hostage. When the West says that despite minor rigging that goes on in all 3 rd World countries, the 2013 elections were relatively fair and free, who are Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri to unsettle the nation's democratic transition. Things in the democratic system are not perfect but work within the system and save the quick fix 3 rd World money and repair schemes to the Arab states. We all saw what is happening in Syria, Libya, Tunisia, Iraq and Egypt. Pakistan should learn from that and work within the system for improvements the civilized way. Imran Khan needs to mature and Tahirul Qadri needs to be deported!
Imran and PTI celebrates but rest of Pakistan mourn loss of one trillion rupees to economy, disrespect of state institutions and political death of a an important leader and political party who could have turned our hopes into reality.