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[VIDEOS] PTI starts off its Long March

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Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has announced the start of his party's ‘real freedom movement’ against the coalition government from Saturday.

"You have to stand up for law and governance in this country. I need the lawyers community for my country," said Imran while addressing a lawyers convention in Lahore on Wednesday.

"Whoever threatens you, you counter it by threatening them back and tell them that the Constitution has given me the right to freedom of expression."

Imran said that he will soon give a call for long march to Islamabad, urging the nation and lawyers to support him. "Together we will establish the rule of law in this country and bring real freedom to Pakistan," he added.

The former premier said that a society which does not have rule of law gets destroyed. "Ever since they (the government) came into power after a ‘foreign conspiracy’, the country has been dismantled. What message are we giving to the youth by bringing such people to the power that only small-time thieves get caught here," he said.

The PTI chief said that the current rulers have gotten rid of their corruption cases through NAB law tweaks. "The agencies whose job is to enforce the rule of law are breaking the law. The powerful can do anything in this country," he added.

He said that in a country where there is no rule of law, the money flows from abroad and hence it does not have an ideology.

Imran said that the current government was taking Pakistan to a situation similar to that of Sri Lanka, adding that the country was moving towards big social unrest which had not been seen in the past 50 years.

"If we want to get Pakistan out of this quicksand, then we must establish rule of law in the country. Until that happens, our economy will continue to suffer," he added.

Imran said that the difference between rich and poor countries was rule of law.

"In poor countries, there is law but not justice, while in rich countries rule of law exists. The society in which there is no rule of law gets destroyed," he further said.

The announcement comes two days after Imran Khan encouraged his party leaders and supporters at a public rally to threaten back those threatening them from unknown numbers. Invoking the mysterious figures of 'Mr X' and 'Mr Y', Imran urged the party activists to smash "the idol of fear" and combat their threats with similar threats.

He said those trying to intimidate party cadres through calls from secret numbers will now be dealt with similar tactics.

"Break the idol of fear, this call that comes from an anonymous number to threaten. Give it back to them. They give threats, return those threats," the PTI chief roared while addressing a massive crowd in Chakwal.

The PTI chief said that he wanted army chief’s appointment on merit, saying he had said that ex-premier Nawaz Sharif and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari could never do selection on merit as they were not even familiar with the concept of merit and can’t see beyond their families.

The ISPR had taken a strong exception to the PTI chairman’s remarks regarding the appointment of the new army chief, saying it was “aghast at the defamatory and uncalled for” statement about the institution’s senior leadership.

“Regrettably, an attempt has been made to discredit and undermine [the] senior leadership of [the] Pakistan Army at a time when the institution is laying lives for the security and safety of the people of Pakistan every day,” the official statement had read. The ISPR said that the senior politicians trying to stir controversies on COAS’ appointment, the procedure for which is well defined in the constitution, was most unfortunate and disappointing.
 
Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah has said that those provinces supporting the long march of former prime minister Imran Khan would violate the Constitution and there would be consequences of it.

"The Constitution gives power to the federal government and I would ask cabinet and prime minister to use it in case of such situation,” he said while speaking to the media in Islamabad after a seminar on Wednesday.

Lashing out at the deposed premier for misleading the people and dividing the nation, the minister said that Imran is trying to malign the state institutions.

Regarding the law and order situation of the federal capital Islamabad, he said that all are equal before the law and no one will be allowed to take the law into his hands.

To a question about legislation related to transgender persons, Rana Sanaullah said that everything should be decided according to the religion which guides us on all matters. “We are Muslims first and everything comes later. We would have to regulate our lives according to Islam and religious scholars would be consulted on this issue.”

To a question about the closure of roads in Islamabad, he said that D-Chowk has been closed due to the protest of farmers. He said that negotiations would be conducted with the leadership of farmers and their demands would be considered.

He said that protesting farmers could be provided with an appropriate place to stage their protest. However, he added that they couldn’t be allowed to come to D-Chowk for protest.

Strong action would be taken against participants of the PTI long march if they attempt to come towards D-Chowk. The protesters can gather at F-9 park or some other place as the apex court has already provided guidance in this regard. However, he warned, strong action would be taken in case of any attempt to come towards D-Chowk.

He criticised Imran Khan’s attitude, saying that no one could negotiate with him as he has an "incredible personality". Talking about the Toshakhana case against Imran, he said that the ousted premier had been involved in embezzlement and received an amount of around Rs260 million by selling gifts in the market.

He criticised the PTI chief for an out-of-court settlement made in a case of over Rs50 billion laundering by the previous government, as there was no clue who had signed this agreement. He said that amount of Rs50 billion of Bahria Town was confiscated which had been transferred against the law and returned against the donation of land for Al-Qadir trust.

Addressing the seminar titled “High-level consultation on Human Trafficking in Persons” organised jointly by the Federal Investigation Agency and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the interior minister said that the incumbent government is committed to eliminate human trafficking and coordination among federal government and provinces is imperative to end it from the society.

The federal minister also expressed the government’s resolve that it is taking concrete steps to bring down the ratio of human trafficking to zero level.

Express Tribune
 
Islamabad ‘fortified’ as Imran reveals march plans

• Rana Sana threatens governor’s rule in Punjab and KP, warns of action if marchers attempt to reach D-Chowk
• ‘Army of lions led by a jackal will always lose’: Imran takes a dig at Nawaz-Shehbaz consultation

LAHORE / ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan finally announced the launching of a fresh movement from Saturday to press the government to announce snap polls, the interior minister threatened with the imposition of governor’s rule in the provinces supporting the PTI’s long march on the capital and warned of “strong action” against the marchers attempting to reach D-Chowk.

Moreover, in what appeared to be a pre-emptive measure following the former premier’s recent ‘warning’ of calling a countrywide protest if the government didn’t announce snap polls in two weeks, the Islamabad Police had late on Tuesday beefed up security at the entry and exit points of the capital’s Red Zone, though the police claimed in a tweet the security had been bolstered as “some people” from Punjab were headed towards Islamabad to have their political demands accepted.

Addressing a thinly attended lawyers convention, jointly hosted by Insaf Lawyers’ Forum and Punjab Bar Council outside the Supreme Court Lahore registry on Wednesday, Mr Khan appealed to the community to join his movement for ‘real freedom’ for the country.

Talking about the country’s economic situation, he claimed the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) foresaw a Sri Lanka-like turmoil for Pakistan. With the economy shrinking along with an increase in unemployment and inflation skyrocketing, the country was moving towards social unrest, he believed.

Sharing his recipe for pulling Pakistan out of the economic ‘turmoil’, the PTI chief said the country would not need the IMF money if only half of the overseas Pakistanis invested here.

He also alluded to the alleged threats his party members were receiving through calls from unknown numbers, saying he never saw such a thing in the west. He also berated law enforcement agencies for allegedly torturing his chief of staff Shahbaz Gill, and condemned the government for, what he called, victimising “credible” journalists and news channels.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with his brother Nawaz in London and reportedly discussing the army chief’s appointment, Mr Khan questioned “would these people take decisions about the most important position of national security? An army of lions will lose if led by a jackal, but an army of jackals will win if led by a lion”.

Reiterating his earlier instructions to his followers, the PTI chief asked them to respond in the same coin if they received threats from any unknown number.

A leader of the Lahore Bar Association (LBA) that had boycotted the convention told Dawn that the LBA cabinet was annoyed with Barrister Hassaan Niazi, a nephew of the PTI chief, and wanted to host the event itself. He claimed the majority of lawyers believed Advocate Niazi had been encroaching upon the role of the elected leadership of the legal community by just being a nephew of the former prime minister.

‘Strong action’

Meanwhile, talking to reporters after addressing a seminar on human trafficking in Islamabad, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah threatened with imposition of the governor’s rule in the provinces that supported the PTI’s possible long march on the capital.

In response to a question about road closures in Islamabad, he claimed D-Chowk was blocked due to a farmers’ protest, which could be provided some other appropriate place.

He further warned of “strong action” against participants of the PTI long march if they attempted to reach D-Chowk. “The protesters can assemble at F-9 Park or some other place as per the apex court guidelines in this regard,” he maintained.

Regarding the law and order situation in the capital, the minister said no one would be allowed to take the law into their hands.

Earlier, speaking at the seminar, the minister said the government had a strong political will and commitment to move forward against the trafficking of people.

“The FIA has already developed a National Action Plan against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (2021-25) that aims to promote the detection of trafficking and smuggling of migrants, improve the position of victims and intensify the enforcement of criminal liability,” he said.

Red Zone security

On the other hand, the federal government tightened security around the Red Zone in Islamabad by placing containers. The capital police have also sought additional police from provinces and paramilitary forces, apparently to ward off the PTI’s expected protest, as per sources.

On Tuesday night, the police had said security at entry and exit points of the Red Zone areas had been beefed up to contain any possible law and order situation in light of a political rally “headed towards Islamabad from Punjab”.

In a tweet, it explained that the security was bolstered as “some people from Punjab” were headed towards Islamabad to have their political demands accepted.

Some sources suggested that this was a reference to the farmers’ protest, who had announced plans to breach D-Chowk and hold a sit-in there. However, following successful negotiations with the authorities on Wednesday night, they called off their protest plans.

It is worth noting that PTI chief Imran Khan is also set to be indicted today (Thursday) on a charge of contempt of court for passing controversial remarks against Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry.

DAWN
 
Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday asked his supporters to prepare for the upcoming true independence march onto Islamabad, but stopped short of giving an actual date for the march.

Addressing supporters at the oath-taking ceremony of new office-bearers of the party at the Jinnah Convention Center in Islamabad on Thursday evening, Imran urged members of PTI’s ladies and youth wings to prepare for their party’s upcoming ‘true independence’ march.

Those have usurped power and have entrenched themselves in the corridors of power while stuffing their pockets with public money will not give you your true independence easily, Imran said, adding that the cost of true independence is struggle and sacrifice.

He went on to vow that once they set off on their march, Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah will not find any space to hide in the federal capital.

The PTI chief admitted that they were not well prepared when they launched their last long march on Islamabad in May. That march ran into several hurdles set up by the government, including intense tear gas shelling in Islamabad and Lahore apart from fortifications set up on the Peshawar-Islamabad motorway.

“Now, we will embark on our march with full force and preparation,” he said.

With Imran due to address a rally hundreds of miles away in Rahim Yar Khan, he called on party supporters to come out in full force in the federal capital on Saturday.

“On Saturday, Islamabad should see you protesting in large numbers,” he said, adding that he will watch them from his rally in Rahim Yar Khan.

“This is your test, on Saturday you will show up with full force,” he urged.

Even though Imran has announced a fresh movement against the government from Saturday, he has yet to give a date for the long march which he has been teasing in several public rallies for weeks now.

“I will give the call [for the long march on Islamabad], when I see my tigresses and tigers are ready.”

The former prime minister added that after the date for the march is decided, he will give a call and all must answer.

Samaa
 
Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that “thieves” have taken over the country and they were now not getting relief in corruption cases under “NRO-II”.

Addressing the women's convention in Islamabad on Friday, the former prime minister said that he was not doing politics but waging ‘jihad’ to achieve the ‘real freedom’ for the country’s better future.
 
The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has refused a federal request to provide police personnel to stop Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s long march.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan informed the federal government that the law and order situation in the province requires attention and during this time, providing security personnel to stop the long march was not feasible.

He added that at a time when Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah should himself be present in Swat to assist in controlling the security situation, the federal government is seeking help from K-P police forces.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shaukat Ali Yousafzai also lambasted Sanaullah, questioning his capabilities as the interior minister.

“How can an interior minister not know what to do? Are there fears of a terrorist attack in Islamabad or are some foreign forces plotting to attack the capital for which the forces are required? There is no way we can provide any police or FC personnel to the capital.”

He added that the person who “killed innocent civilians in Model Town, now wants to play the same game in Islamabad too”.

Yousafzai went on to stress that PTI’s long march will be peaceful and no force can stop the 'millions' from marching onto Islamabad.

Special Assistant to KP Chief Minister Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif also criticized the government's request, saying the police force is direly needed in K-P to maintain peace in the province.

“Rana Sanaullah needs our police force to stop Pakistanis from entering Islamabad. The K-P government cannot give its police to Centre just to torture citizens,” he added.

Express Tribune
 
Rahim Yar Khan: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is addressing a power show in Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district, in which he is expected to announce party’s next political strategy to force the coalition government to announce the early elections.

At the start of his address, the PTI chairman thanked the supporters for turning up in large numbers and waiting for his speech in hot weather.

Imran Khan lashed out at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari over foreign visits amid flood disasters. “In which country, a prime minister pays foreign visits after leaving the nation in difficulties”? he questioned and added that the entire Sindh was submerged but the PPP leader whose govt is ruling Sindh province was making foreign tours.

Imran Khan reiterated that the country will be stuck in a quagmire if the “imported government’s” tenure is prolonged further. He further said that both parties PPP and PML-N had given themselves an NRO and closed down corruption cases worth Rs1,100 billion.

He went on to say that incumbent rulers were planning to disqualify him as they are scared of the people’s power. “They are scared and want to disqualify me,” he added.

Reiterating his demand for free and fair elections, the former premier said that economic stability in the country won’t arrive before political stability.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday announced that the anti-government movement would begin from September 24.

Big screens have been installed at Islamabad’s F9 park, Lahore’s Liberty Chowk, Rawalpindi’s Lal Haveli, Shehbaz Town Quetta, Kohinoor Plaza Faisalabad, Chungi Multan, Fawara Chowk Jhang, and Paris Road Sialkot to televise Chairman Imran Khan’s speech.

Since being ousted from power in April this year, Imran has been holding rallies across the country, demanding early and transparent polls.

A day earlier, Imran Khan chaired the session of the PTI senators in which they reviewed the political situation of the country. The PTI chairman directed the senators to raise a strong voice against inflation.

“Political uncertainty is disastrous for the national economy which can only be ended through early elections. PTI is the only political party thinking about the better future of the country.”

ARY
 
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to put forward a condition before the federal government for returning to National Assembly (NA), ARY News reported on Saturday, citing sources.

According to sources, the PTI has decided to clarify its policy for returning to the National Assembly (NA).

Sources told ARY News that the majority PTI leaders have recommended returning to National Assembly if the incumbent government announced a date for elections.
 
Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has said that his movement for “real freedom” against the coalition government will not stop until the announcement of early and transparent elections.

“You remain prepared I will give you [protest] call when my opponents believe that Imran Khan has given up and that day is not far,” he said while addressing his party’s power show in Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district on Saturday.
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“I will give call when I believe I can take three wickets in one ball... I am monitoring the preparations of our activists and I will give call the day when I believe we are fully prepared.”

At the start of his address Imran thanked the supporters for turning up in large numbers and waiting for his speech. “They [PM Shehbaz and his delegation] are staying at expensive hotels to show-off to those from whom he [PM Shehbaz] is asking donations,” he remarked.

PM Shehbaz was imposed upon the country not because he had any leadership qualities but because he would take dictation from all powers including IMF, he added.

The PTI chief said the country has no future if such corrupt leaders, including PM Shehbaz and his son, who were set to be indicted in money laundering case, continued to rule it.

Imran said they had given themselves an NRO and closed down corruption cases worth Rs1,100 billion. “Foreign powers imposed corrupt leaders so that they can be controlled easily.”

“If we accept the theft of Rs11,000 billion and slavery of these ‘imported rulers’ then we have no future.” Taking a jibe at PM Shehbaz for seeking donations from international community for flood victims, Imran said the country would have to compromise on national interest by receiving foreign aid as “there is no free lunch”.

He said incumbent rulers were trying to disqualify him as they are scared of the people's power. “Four people have made a decision behind closed doors to have me assassinated... they are still working on this plan,” he claimed.

As part of the assassination plot, Imran said PML-N leaders Javed Latif and Maryam Nawaz distorted his remarks during a press conference to provoke the people to attack him and would later term it an attack by “religious fanatics”.

Earlier, the PTI chief had arrived at the venue amid loud cheer from the huge crowd.

Imran, the deposed premier, on Wednesday announced that the final phase of his party's movement for “Haqeeqi Azaadi” – ‘real freedom' - would begin from September 24.

PTI leaders in major cities including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and others have set-up screens in their respective areas to show his live speech.

Since being ousted from power in April this year, Imran has been holding rallies across the country, demanding early and transparent polls.

A day earlier, he said that “thieves” have taken over the country and were now getting relief in corruption cases under “NRO-II”.

Addressing the women's convention in Islamabad on Friday, the former prime minister said that he was not doing politics but waging ‘jihad’ to achieve ‘real freedom' for the country’s better future.

Referring to the amendments to the NAB law, Imran said societies are destroyed without the rule of law. “Thieves have taken over the country. Every day their cases are being shut,” he remarked.

Imran further said that the poor should be released from jails if the powerful cannot be brought under the law. “What is the fault of the poor? The likes of Zardaris and Sharifs are sitting everywhere in poor countries where there is no rule of law,” he added.

Express Tribune
 
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Saturday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will only be allowed to protest at a place designated by the court, and that the protestors will be stopped if they tried entering the red zone.

Ahead of the PTI’s second Haqeeqi Azadi movement, set to kick start on September 24, the home minister in a press conference stated that those who show up to protests wielding weapons are the one's who are responsible for law and order, and not those defending it.
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He accused the PTI chief and former prime minister of himself admitting the presence of a group that had weapons during the party's previous 'long march', held on May 25 this year.

“If any group talks about attacking Islamabad, shall we lie down in front of them?” the minister questioned, reiterating that the PTI will be stopped if they came in the form of violent groups.

The interior minister said that the federal government will try to minimize the use of force, but if Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – provinces where the PTI is in power – did not provide the requested forces then the interior ministry has the paramilitary forces to support it.

He warned that in the case of refusal to send additional force Punjab and K-P governments will be hearing from the Federal Ministry of Interior.

Speaking of the May 25 march, Rana said that he was of the opinion that Imran should have been arrested with the permission of the cabinet. However, that did not happen, he said.

The minister further blamed the PTI for destroying the career the Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO), Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, adding that the CCPO should report to the federal government.

Three days ago, in a surprising move, the centre had withdrawn the CCPO's services and directed him to report to the Establishment Division for further order.

Read Sana will find no place to hide: Imran

Further commenting on the PTI chief, the interior minister said that Imran was neither popular, nor did he have any narrative. He maintained that there was inflation under the PTI government, but the blame was on the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

“Now we are in government and there is inflation, of course. However, the premier is determined to give relief to the people,” Rana said.

He said that Imran had made the wrong agreement with the IMF and then violated the agreement by reducing prices, which would have caused compensatory damages.

Nawaz, Dar's return

The interior minister said that former finance minister Ishaq Dar was returning to Pakistan next week, and will be leading the economic team.

He added that the PML-N cannot impose a decision on Nawaz Sharif, adding that the party supremo accepted the PML-N’s request, and will lead the party in the upcoming elections.

Army chief appointment

The interior minister, discussing the appointment of the next chief of army staff, said that if they ceded to Imran’s pressure, the organisation would be “destroyed”.

He held that the appointment of the COAS would be conducted on time and as per procedure and that any delays or premature decisions could lead to the destruction of the institution and the country.

He maintained that Imran Khan has "confounded" the issue so much that if the trend was not questioned today, it will continue to create difficulties every three years.
 
Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan has warned the PTI of strict action if it tries to invade the federal capital in the name of protest.

He said the government would facilitate the PTI if it wanted to record its protest at the places designated by the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court.

Sana said if the Punjab and KP didn’t provide police personnel, the Centre would have 10,000 personnel from Rangers, FC and Islamabad Police while they can also get security forces from Sindh. He said the Punjab had also been written for providing security.

Addressing a press conference here Saturday, he warned that if PTI came in the form of armed groups, strict action would be taken against them and the federal government would also stop them in any case.

Azma Bukhari, Khalil Tahir Sindhu and other party leaders were also present.

Answering a question about the appointment of the new army chief, Rana Sanullah said that the decision would be taken in accordance with the Constitution and law. He said if the government succumbed to Imran Khan’s pressure on the issue, it would be disastrous.

“It is not difficult to bring in a change in Punjab. It is a matter of one or two votes. Fifteen people of the PTI are in contact,” he said while answering another question.

He said the decision of imposing Governor’s Rule in Punjab would be taken by the cabinet.

“Imran Khan is trying to destroy the country. Shaukat Tarin’s role as a Pakistani is very shameful and Imran Khan has not spoken a single word about it. The PTI wants to come to Islamabad to protest. So come, but if you try to invade the state, you will be thwarted, the police and Rangers will also be called,” he said.

Replying to a question about former finance minister Ishaq Dar, he said that Dar was arriving next week and he would lead the economic team.

Rana Sanaullah said the process of organising the party was going on under the directions of Nawaz Sharif. The party has requested Nawaz Sharif to lead the party in the upcoming elections, he said.

He said a meeting of the Punjab PMLN was held Saturday and later a divisional convention would also be held to complete organisation up to the level of the provincial constituency. The party will be completed up to the union council, he said.

“Organisation of 4,000 union councils has been completed. Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shehbaz will visit all the districts of Punjab, which will provide a basis for the party to make better decisions in 2023,” he said, adding they will start the party’s reorganisation from Oct 15 and will complete it by December.

The minister said that efforts were being made to create a political impression that the PTI’s narrative and popularity were high. He admitted that inflation had not been controlled.

“Our claim was that as soon as the IMF agreement is reached, we will give relief immediately, but the IMF deal is not final yet as Imran Khan had purposely delayed it, which was an anti-national act,” he said and maintained that Imran Khan had violated the IMF conditions by not taking difficult decisions to save his politics due to which the country had suffered an irreparable damage.

The interior minister admitted that due to difficult decisions, inflation had increased and the PMLN had suffered a big political loss. He said the flood calamity had added to their problems.

The cause of floods was climatic changes, which were not the fault of any province, he said.

Rana Sanaullah said that two or three votes could remove Pervaiz Elahi from the chief ministership but at present the PMLN didn’t want to change this setup. He said if the Federation was challenged, there were many ways in the Constitution.

Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has refused to provide police or Frontier Constabulary to the federal government, citing deteriorating security situation in the militancy-stricken province while the Punjab interior minister claims no request has been received from the Centre.

KP Minister and senior Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Shaukat Yousufzai told The News that the KP government had principally decided not to send the police force to the federal government owing to the worsening security situation of the province.

“We are passing through a difficult situation and the existing police force is inadequate to handle the growing security constraints in the province. Also, the erstwhile Fata has become a part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but we didn’t have any additional police force for the tribal districts and rather dependent on the existing police force,” he explained.

Keeping in mind all these constraints and needs of the province, Shaukat Yousafzai argued they had refused to send their police force to Islamabad.

On the other hand, Punjab Interior Minister Hashim Dogar has said the province has never received a request from the federal government to send police force to the Centre.

He also made it clear that the Punjab would not entertain the Centre’s request in this regard. He has said that they are aware that the force is being sought in view of the PTI’s call for protest. He has also said that the federal government will never ask for Punjab Police.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/994367-invasion-of-capital-won-t-be-allowed-sana
 
Imran Khan is operating in the wrong country.

The Pakistani junta clearly DON'T have his back. They haven't budged a finger for 6 months and won't for the foreseeable either.
 
PESHAWAR:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan once again invoked cricket jargon to predict the political demise of his rivals, Shahbaz Sharif, Asif Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rahman.

Addressing a public rally in Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Imran said that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had made a plan to counter his ‘Haqiqi Azadi [real freedom] movement’ but he had drawn a better plan for the current rulers.

In his speech Imran criticised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairman and former president Asif Zardari and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman.

“The wickets of Shahbaz, Zardari and Fazl are about to fall,” Imran, the former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, said. “For them, I have prepared an in-swing Yorker,” he added. “Rana Sana and Shahbaz Sharif have made a plan for us but they don’t know about my plan.”

Imran told the rally that fresh general elections would be held very soon, in which “the gang of thieves” would be wiped out of politics. “We are going into the elections. Zardari, the Sharif family will be defeated in the elections and they will be thrown out of politics,” he said.

Imran reiterated his oft-repeated allegation that the PTI government was removed through a foreign conspiracy, adding: “Thieves were brought to power, and now it is our duty to remove these thieves and fight for real freedom”.

He told the crowd that Zardari and Nawaz were in power for 10 years and during their tenures there were 400 drone strikes in tribal areas. “We also fought their war and we were attacked by drones because the rulers of that time were slaves,” he added.

These rulers, Imran continued, had been “imposed on us through an external intervention”, adding that their goal was not to reduce inflation, but to end the corruption cases involving Rs1,100 billion. “The youth will have to support me [to get rid of these rulers].”

Criticising the JUI-F chief, Imran said that Fazl ensures the most lucrative department in the coalition government, the Ministry of Communications, for his son, Asad Mahmood. “Money is everything for the current rulers, they come to power to make money,” he said.

“Nawaz Sharif has made a lot of money, the whole lot is making money. In London, where Nawaz Sharif’s family lives, it is the most expensive area of the city. Hasan Nawaz’s house is worth Rs10 billion. Ishaq Dar’s children are [also] living abroad,” the PTI chief told the rally.

Imran alleged that 60% of the ministers in the current federal cabinet were on bail. He appealed to the people he would travel to all over the country for the Haqiqi Azadi Movement, asking them to wait for his call.

He reminded the public that the PTI’s peaceful protest on May 25 was brutally tortured but stressed that “I am prepared now”. He said that Rana Sana and Shehbaz had a plan and “I am also making a plan” to thwart the government’s move.

Imran mentioned an interview of the prime minister, saying that Shahbaz had said that Imran Khan wanted to appoint the next army chief and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief of his choice. However, he stressed that he wanted appointments only on merit.

“What does Zardari know about merit? If there was merit [in the PPP], Aitzaz Ahsan would have been in a very senior position. K-P Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, Provincial PTI President Pervez Khattak, Shibli Faraz and other leaders were also present at the rally.

Express Tribune
 
In view of the upcoming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march, Islamabad police purchased 40,000 teargas shells worth Rs75 million, citing sources, ARY News reported on Monday.

Sources told ARY News that Islamabad police purchased 40,000 teargas shells to stop PTI protestors from advancing toward the federal capital. Sources added that police headquarters have a storage capacity of 15,000 teargas shells.

It was learnt that the new stock of teargas shells including 75-metre short range and 150-metre long range worth Rs75 million and an advancement payment was made by the police department. The supply of the stock will be completed in phases.
 
PESHAWAR: PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday said his party’s upcoming long march on Islamabad would be “the final one”, after which there will be fair and transparent general elections.

“The plan is only in kaptan’s [Mr Khan’s] mind and no one knows about it yet,” he told a joint convention of the Insaf Student Federation and youth.

Criticising Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Mr Khan said he teargassed peaceful protesters, including women and children, when the PTI marched on Islamabad in May.
 
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will announce a date for the long march towards Islamabad within seven days, the top PTI huddle decided on Friday.

The senior leadership of the party met today where it was decided that the time for giving the final call for a protest in Islamabad has finally arrived.

According to sources, the long march could be announced in the third week of October and Imran Khan has directed the senior leadership to start preparations for the long march.
 
Varun said:
Imran Khan is operating in the wrong country.

The Pakistani junta clearly DON'T have his back. They haven't budged a finger for 6 months and won't for the foreseeable either.
Click to expand...

You seem to be privy to what the Pak army do on a daily basis.

Please stop, you have no clue about your own country let alone Pakistan.

Army is divided, the top brass want more money while the rest majority are not behind traitors.

Imran doesnt need to do anything, he can sit back & relax , wait for the elections. Once they arrive, its all over for the puppets, politicians or others.
 
KingKhanWC said:
Please stop, you have no clue about your own country let alone Pakistan.
Click to expand...

No. of days Imran Khan was in power = 1,330
No. of days you chose to live under Imran Khan = 0
No. of days you chose to live under Boris Johnson = 1,330

No. of days I chose to live in "my own country" in this period = 1,330

So if anybody should "Please stop", it is you. Enough of singing "God save Prince Andrew's mum/bro" and go to where the heart is.
 
As preparations for his party’s long march on Islamabad enter the finalisation stage, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday claimed that he will give the federal government a “surprise” this time as the government was “clueless” about his plan.

While addressing a party gathering at Taxila’s Railways Ground, he also talked about the alleged conspiracy and the controversial cipher. He said the cipher did not go missing from the PM House as claimed by PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

The ex-premier claimed that the official copy of the cipher was available at the Foreign Office.

About the acquittal of Ms Sharif in the Avenfield apartment reference, Mr Khan said that laws had been changed to prevent conviction in corruption and money laundering cases. He said the ruling coalition was not content with taking a second National Reconci*liation Ordinance (NRO) and was trying to make more money.


Ex-PM says official copy of cipher ‘safe’ at Foreign Office

The term ‘NRO’ is used to refer to the National Reconciliation Ord*i*n*ance that Gen Musharraf had promulgated after a deal with PPP in 2007, following which cases registered on political grounds were ended.

“I know their plan but they do not know mine,” Mr Khan said of the PTI’s long march and asked his followers to remain prepared as he would give a call for the march on Islamabad to send the rulers packing once the preparations were completed. The PTI chief asked the crowd to be ready to march on the capital on “short notice”.

He said that Ishaq Dar had ret*urned to Pakistan after assurance from “concerned quarters” that he would not be arrested after landing in the country. He said the nation was facing the highest inflation and the economy was going down with each passing day, making it difficult for the salaried class to survive.

In a comment on the recent arrest warrants against him, Mr Khan said the government had sent the police to arrest him at least three times and added that he was ready to go to jail. “The entire nation is ready to go to jail as idols of fear have been broken,” the ex-PM added.

“I ask the protectors today […] if robbers are looting a house, can the guards say that they are neutral? What will the residents say? That the house is being looted but the guards say they are neutral,” Mr Khan said while taking a jibe at the powers-that-be.

He alleged that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law had been amended to “protect those who plundered national wealth”. “[The] entire economy and political system of Pakistan was derailed through a US-backed regime change conspiracy simply to give this cabal of crooks another NRO,” the former premier said while referring to the no-confidence motion against him.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2022
 
Imran directs workers to get prepared for ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’
Call for long march can be given any time after 12 Rabiul Awwal, sources say

PESHAWAR:
Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday directed party workers to get ready for ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’ (real freedom march) on Islamabad.

This he said during a party meeting held at his Bani Gala residence in the federal capital. The meeting, chaired by Imran Khan, was attended by senior leaders including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pervez Khattak and Yasmin Rashid. The PTI chief, during the meeting, urged workers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to get all preparations ready for the decisive round of anti-government protests.

PTI insiders revealed that the call for the long march can be given to party workers any time after 12 Rabiul Awwal (October 9).

Imran Khan directed the workers to be prepared at tehsil and district levels. "This time freedom march will be carried out with full preparation," the former PM was quoted as saying.

He said that special instructions will be issued to party workers before the start of the march.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan has also called a meeting of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa parliamentary party in Peshawar on Tuesday (tomorrow).

Sources said that the PTI chief will give instructions to the MPAs regarding the long march, adding that participation of the lawmakers in the meeting has been made compulsory.

They also said that the meeting will take place at 11am and all lawmakers have been asked to reach CM House on time.

During a party's power show in Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district on September 24, the ex-premier had asserted that he would give the final call for anti-government protests when the time was ripe for it, saying it would come when he is assured that he can “take three wickets in one ball”.

Imran said he was supervising the preparations taken by the party activists and maintained he will give a call on the day when he is confident that the party was fully prepared.

“You remain prepared I will give you [protest] call when my opponents believe that Imran Khan has given up and that day is not far,” he said. “This time we will come with full preparation.”

Also read: Will give final call when time is ripe: Imran

Imran said that his much-hyped call for the next protest against the coalition government will be the “last” and following that call he would not stage any protest or hold a long march.

“That call will be given to save Pakistan through free and transparent elections. We don’t have any other way other than the elections to save the country.”

Without political stability and stable government, the country’s economic woes cannot be solved, said Imran, adding that only free and transparent elections can bring stability to the economy and the country.

Meanwhile, the Capital Territory Police has procured 40,000 teargas shells to protect Islamabad from the participants of the PTI’s expected long march.

As per the sources, the police paid Rs70 million in advance for the procurement while the headquarter keeps 15,000 shells in stock.

Sources have informed that the government’s price for each shell is Rs1,750.

This new procurement along with the existing stock of 15,000 will raise the government’s stock to 50,000 shells.

The newly procured shells have a short range of 75 metres and a long range of 150 metres.

This preparation is projecting the federal government’s concern and it seems that the conflicting days are not too far away.

Express Tribune
 
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to stop the participants of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march from entering Islamabad, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Sources told ARY News that an important in-camera session was held under the chair of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to finalise the strategy to stop the upcoming PTI long march in Islamabad.
 
Political temperatures flared on Wednesday as PTI Chairman Imran Khan continued to build momentum for a second iteration of his “Haqeeqi Azadi March” to Islamabad as Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb questioned the intent behind it.

A day ago, the former prime minister had assigned PTI lawmakers — past and present — the task of bringing thousands of people each to the march towards Islamabad which, in his words, could be announced at any time.

The previous march, which took place on May 25, fizzled out just as Imran reached the heavily fortified Red Zone. He later said it was ended to “avert bloodshed”. The PML-N later taunted the PTI for failing to bring two million supporters, and PTI Shafqat Mahmood reportedly resigned as the party’s Punjab head for failing to mobilise the masses.

Sources told Dawn, however, that this time former MNAs have been tasked with bringing at least 4,000; MPAs are expected to bring along 2,000 supporters, while village and neighbourhood council chiefs are being asked to bring 100 persons each along with them for the march on the federal capital.

Talking to the media outside the Supreme Court today, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said the only solution to the country’s woes was the march, claiming that “2-2.5 million people” would “target Islamabad”.

“They (the government) won’t find room to escape,” Chaudhry warned, calling on the government to “reflect on its affairs, otherwise, it will be too late.”

Yesterday, the PTI chief had also taken oaths from party lawmakers, office-bearers, and members to support the “real freedom” march despite all odds. “We will consider the party’s movement for real independence as a jihad, and will render all kinds of sacrifices for the cause … we will uphold the constitution and will protect it,” they repeated after former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor Shah Farman who read out the oath in Imran’s presence.

But when videos and pictures from the ceremony were shared on social media, many saw similarities between the participants’ raised hands and the infamous salute, preferred by the forces of Nazi Germany. The 30-second raised hand salute was led by Imran and also imitated by Ali Amin Gandapur and others on the stage. PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, however, merely held up his right hand as if swearing an oath in court.

Addressing the development in tweets today, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb lashed out at Imran as a “foreign agent and constitutional violator”, asking what he was coming to Islamabad for.

“How long will they continue to play this hideous and serious game with the national interests? Instead of helping the flood victims, [the PTI is] preparing for a long march?”

The information minister levelled several allegations against the PTI chief in her tweet, ending them all with the same question of what he was coming to do in the capital.

Aurangzeb called on Imran to first give answers to her allegations before announcing his long march.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said Imran had made a game out of “national security and state secrets and interests”.

“Conspiracy against the state for the sake of politics is not a game but a serious and unforgivable crime in the eyes of the Constitution and law for which the Constitution requires you to be punished,” he said.

The interior minister said the PTI chief could not escape punishment for the above crime by doing a long march.

A day ago, Sanaullah had dared the PTI to come to Islamabad and not “hide”.

The government had also decided to call out the army and deploy troops in Islamabad if Imran gave a call for the march.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Sanaullah to evolve a strategy to tackle the much-trumpeted PTI march.

Official sources told Dawn that the Pakistan Army would be deployed in the capital city’s Red Zone to stop the entry of protestors into the high-security area. The meeting decided that the security of all important buildings and the Diplomatic Enclave located in the Red Zone would be handed over to the Pakistan Army during the protest march.

The army troops would be called out in aid of civil administration under Article 245 of the Constitution, which says that “armed forces shall, under the directions of the federal government, defend Pakistan against external aggression or threat of war, and, subject to law, act in aid of civil power when called upon to do so.”

Responding to that development, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid said the attempt to pit the army against the people would fail.

“[Taking the name of] Article 245 is easy to say and difficult to apply,” Rashid said, calling on the interior minister to “remain in his senses”

He cryptically said that politics would by November 15.

DAWN
 
The ruling allies on Wednesday warned the provincial governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against becoming a part of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) long march towards the federal capital expected to be announced within a week.

“Avoid paving the way for chaos and unrest in the country by becoming a tool of Imran Khan. Those who will cross the [red] line will be dealt with iron hand,” the meeting decided.

“It will not be allowed to attack the federal capital by crossing all limits of constitution and law,” it added.

“The meeting of the allies has warned both provincial governments not to become [part of] any aggression of the PTI against the Centre,” said an official press release issued by the PM House after the huddle.

PM okays plan to ferry Thar coal by rail; 100-home flood relief village built in Tank

The PM also held separate meetings with MQM-Pakistan leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui andJUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Sources in the PM House told Dawn that leaders of the ruling alliance vowed to resist attempts to topple the government.

Also on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a project aimed at linking the coal mines in Sindh’s Thar district with the railways network in a bid to transport locally produced coal to power plants, including Jamshoro and Port Qasim power stations.

Presiding over a meeting, the premier directed the authorities concerned to complete the project by March 23 next year. PM Sharif also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the project in collaboration with the Sindh government.

In another meeting with various delegations of farmers who staged a week-long sit-in in Islamabad, the premier said the government would unveil a ‘Kissan Package’ next week for the agriculture sector. The package will be announced at the Kissan conference. He also sought “actionable recommendations” from his ministers in consultation with farmers.

The prime minister said he had taken steps for the development of the agriculture sector during his stint as the Punjab chief minister. He said that he had always protected the interests of farmers and provided subsidies for the payment of electricity bills, provision of fertilisers, and procurement of agricultural tools.

Separately, the PM’s promise to construct 100 homes in Tank under the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Village project was fulfilled after the construction task was completed in 24 days.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2022
 
The Islamabad Capital Police has gathered more than 1,100 containers, with hundreds delivered to the federal capital on Thursday, in an effort to prevent the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’ to the federal capital.

According to sources, the capital will be completely sealed for a week following PTI chief Imran Khan's announcement of a confirmed date for the march. Schools and colleges will be shut down for this duration and all exams will be postponed.

Sources claimed that 25,000 additional personnel will be brought to the capital to reinforce the ranks of the police force. The government will also provide around 50,000 rubber bullets and more than 60,000 tear gas shells to security forces in addition to ten drones.

In case of any disruptions, security agencies have reportedly prepared lists for the arrest of PTI workers and leaders.

Sources maintained that if the ousted premier announced a sit-in from Bani Gala, the residence will be declared a sub-jail and Imran will be put under house arrest.
 
Govt to use ‘full force of law’ to counter PTI march

ISLAMABAD: The senior leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has put its weight behind the federal government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ahead of a possible long march by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Islamabad.

A meeting of the party leaders was chaired by PM Sharif wherein the participants termed the PTI’s plan of the long march a “conspiracy” against the state and decided that the government would crush its designs through the power of law, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s House. “It will not be a political long march of PTI but a march for a conspiracy,” the PML-N leaders agreed as they gave full authority to Prime Minister Sharif to take appropriate measures to tackle the situation.

It was also agreed that the government will make an example of people involved in the alleged manipulation of the cipher. The meeting believed that recent leaks of purported informal conversations of Imran Khan had exposed a “deceitful narrative” of the PTI chief that the last government was sent home as a result of “an international conspiracy”.

The participants also urged PM Sharif to expedite the inquiry being conducted into the “cipher plot” and bring it to a logical conclusion.

Shehbaz accuses Imran of ‘treason’, PML-N seeks strict action

Earlier, addressing a press conference in Islamabad, PM Sharif lashed out at the ex-PM and accused him of “treason against the state and the nation by spinning a deceitful narrative of conspiracy” against the ruling coalition and the state institutions.

“It was treason committed against the nation and not less than that,” the prime minister said while replying to a question about the conspiracy claims made by Mr Khan. In a comment on the leaked conversation between ex-PM Imran and his former principal secretary Azam Khan, the premier said the apparent use of the diplomatic cable by Mr Khan for political mileage had badly damaged Pakistan’s relations with friendly countries.

“The audio tells us everything. Is there any doubt as to who hatched the conspiracy… It was Imran Khan and his cronies,” he said adding that the coalition government was trying to revive the ties with other countries damaged by Imran Khan.

The PM also confirmed that the copy of the cipher had gone missing from the PM’s House and recalled that the National Security Committee, in its two meetings, made it clear that the cipher had nothing to do with the alleged conspiracy.

According to the prime minister, the recently leaked clips dented the trust of foreign diplomats in the cyber security of the PM’s House.

Speaking about the imminent long march by the PTI, Mr Sharif warned the PTI that no one will be allowed to get away with “unlawful action”. Responding to a question about possible hurdles in taking action against Imran Khan if he had become a “threat”, the premier said the federal cabinet had ordered an inquiry against the ex-PM for hatching a “plot” of “international conspiracy” using the cipher.

About the appointment of the next army chief, the prime minister said there were set criteria that would be followed in the appointment of the new chief.

He also appreciated the UN secretary-general for contesting the flood-hit Pakistan’s case and added that China had provided relief aid worth $90 million, and the US provided $61 million in addition to the support pouring in from the UAE, Qatar, Japan, and other states.

In a question regarding rumours about the governor’s rule in Punjab ahead of the long march, the premier said, “I will not say anything prematurely.” He reiterated that nobody would be allowed to take the law into their hands.

The premier also chided Imran Khan for his criticism of NAB amendments. He said that Imran Khan abolished the accountability commission in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after it pointed out corruption by the PTI ministers and also gave NRO to his sister Aleema Khan.

PM Sharif said the PTI government had introduced amendments to facilitate a 190 million pound scam, in which the cabinet’s consent was sought on an agenda in a closed envelope.

DAWN
 
Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has asserted that he would soon announce ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ (prison movement), ARY News reported on Friday.

Addressing a public gathering in Mianwali today, the former premier warned the ruling coalition against threatening the PTI supporters of detention, noting that he would sacrifice his life for ‘real freedom’ of the country.

“We are not scared of getting arrested as I would soon announce a Jail Bharo Tehreek (prison movement),” the PTI Chairman said, adding that millions of people are ready to fill your jails.

Speaking of the much-awaited long march, Imran Khan said that his party has far better plans than the government for the protest. “All plans of the ‘imported’ government against PTI would fail and they would be forced to announce elections,” he claimed.

He urged the people of Mianwali to get ready for the final call, saying that no nation can prosper without real independence.

The former prime minister noted that it was good to hear that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered investigation into an alleged cypher, which according to him, led to his government ouster.

He further said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was calling for an inquiry into cypher for the past six months, adding that they even forwarded the letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) for investigation.

Imran Khan pointed out his government’s performance, saying that the country’s economy was recovering during PTI’s tenure. “The economic survey pointed out that country’s economy was recovering for the first time in 17 years,” he added.

The PTI Chairman added that PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz before leaving for London held a press conference and blamed him for the case against her. “I urge you to speak the truth. I did not file a case against you. The case was registered in light of Panama papers,” he added. .
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mianwali getting ready for the million people march to Islamabad. InshaAllah it will be the greatest protest in our history against an Imported govt of crooks who have bankrupted the economy & crushed the people under unprecedented inflation. <a href="https://t.co/Jb7I7ev7ZL">pic.twitter.com/Jb7I7ev7ZL</a></p>— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1578419863139549184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Above all they have given themselves immunity from their corruption cases worth 1100 billion.</p>— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1578419867664777217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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A day after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) detained leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in connection with the prohibited funding case, the former ruling party approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) with a request to restrain the investigation agency from action against its leadership.

In a similar petition, the PTI requested the court to stop the FIA and the Islamabad police from proceeding against the party leaders and activists in the backdrop of a long march expected to be announced by former prime minister Imran Khan soon.

Both pleas were lodged by Omer Ayub Khan, the PTI additional secretary general, who requested the court to restrain the law enforcement agencies from arresting the PTI leadership.

A day earlier, the FIA had raided the residences of PTI leaders in Lahore and Islamabad to arrest the party members named in the funding case over their alleged non-cooperation.

DAWN
 
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday dismissed a plea filed by PTI leader Asad Umar challenging the imposition of Section 144 in the capital, stating that decisions regarding the handling of rallies were taken by the executive authorities and a court was not equipped to substitute their assessments.

Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code restricts the assembly of gatherings exceeding four persons. According to a September 25 report by Dawn, police and administration officers confirmed that section 144 remained imposed in the capital.

Umar had filed a plea in the IHC contending that the move should be declared “ultra vires to the express provisions of the Constitution”. It comes amid anticipation of PTI chief Imran Khan giving a call for a protest march towards that federal capital in a quest for what the party describes as “Haqiqi Azadi” (true freedom) and the government planning measures to tackle the march.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah took up the petition today and dismissed it for being “meritless”.


The court order, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, stated that no political party or group of persons could claim the right to hold rallies, protests or other assemblies in disregard to the principles and law highlighted by the apex court.

“The power conferred under section 144 of Cr.P.C. is meant to be exercised solely in public interest. An unregulated rally, protest or assembly definitely offends the guaranteed rights of the citizens who are not associated therewith.

“It is a constitutional obligation of the executive authorities to protect the rights of the public while considering a request by a group or political party to hold a rally or to organize protest or assembly,” it said.

The order stated that PTI had a significant membership in both houses and had an “adequate remedy by way of tabling a Bill regarding the repeal of section 144 of Cr.P.C”.

“In case the petitioners intend to take out a rally, or to organise a protest or assembly, then they are advised to approach the competent authority for seeking permission in accordance with the principles and law enunciated by the august Supreme Court,” the IHC added.

The hearing
At the outset of the hearing today, Justice Minallah asked how the imposition of Section 144 affected Umar. “Did anyone stop the petition, Asad Umar, from seeking permission for a peaceful protest?”

Umar’s counsel, Babar Awan, told the court Umar was a PTI leader and that his party had been engaged in political activities.

During the hearing, the IHC noted that in the “dharna case” the Supreme Court had ruled that permission had to be sought for a peaceful protest.

He further stated, “There is this party’s (PTI) government in two provinces. Has Section 144 never been imposed there?” He added, “During the PTI’s tenure, was Section 144 never imposed in Islamabad?”

Justice Minallah said the executive had to maintain peace and deal with the matters of law and order, in which the court would never interfere.

The IHC CJ reserved the judgement on the maintainability of Umar’s plea.

The plea
In his plea, Umar contended that Section 144 was a “reflection of colonial legacy” and should be declared ultra vires to the Constitution and fundamental rights guaranteed under it.

He further prayed that the issuance of notifications “under garb of provisions of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, imposing continuous restrictions of more than two months be declared void, Ab-anition, illegal, unlawful against the express provisions of Article 4, 8, 10-A, 15, 16 and 17 of the Constitution”.
 
Rs410 million approved to deal with PTI march
ECC defers summary for wheat support price, backs cheap electricity to exporters

ISLAMABAD:
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Monday approved an initial budget of over Rs410 million to deal with the participants of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march with an iron hand and also backed the decision to provide cheap electricity to exporters.

Chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, a meeting of the ECC deferred a summary for fixing the wheat support price and instead agreed to first make an effort to convince Sindh to review its decision of setting the support price at Rs4,000 per 40 kilogrammes.

The ECC took up two separate summaries moved by the Interior Ministry to seek budget for dealing with the PTI’s long march. “The ECC approved a supplementary grant of Rs410.2 million in favour of the Ministry of Interior for expenses relating to law and order”, according to the Finance Ministry.

The Rs410.2 million was the estimated cost of preparations to deal with the protestors, including the deployment of a 30,000 strong force, their meal, transportation, anti-riot gear and surveillance of the protestors.

The ECC was informed that in order to maintain the law and order situation and ensure effective security measures, 30,000 out-district law-enforcement agency personnel had been requisitioned for performing special security duties in Islamabad Capital Territory.

The ECC approved Rs259 million for hiring vehicles and containers, Rs35 million for food, Rs31.2 million for fuel cost and Rs18 million for anti-riot gear. Rs2.5 million has been sanctioned for arranging residence of these personnel for five days and another Rs64.4 million for purchase and installation of security cameras and other related equipment.

The PTI has announced a protest in the form of a long march from different cities towards Islamabad Capital Territory. The PTI Chairman Imran Khan has not yet given a final date for the long march but has ordered his party workers to make preparations for mobilisation.

Exporters

In order to keep export-oriented sectors internationally competitive and sustain exports against the backdrop of an economic slowdown, the ECC approved continuation of Regionally Competitive Electricity Tariff for the export-oriented sectors during the current fiscal year.

The Finance Ministry said the ECC decided that electricity might be provided to these secotors at Rs9.99 per unit, all inclusive. It added that five export oriented sectors – textiles, including jute, leather, surgical and sports goods, across Pakistan would be eligible for the package from October 1 to June 30, 2023.

The federal cabinet had approved the provision of cheaper gas till June next year but the decision was subsequently amended due to the IMF’s objections on the subsidy without providing funds in the budget. However, Finance Minsiter Ishaq Dar last week announced to restore the subsidy package.

The ECC approved to clear the pending liabilities of Rs33 billion and also gave financial commitment to cover the cost of the subsidies till June next year. The Power Division will separately move a summary to seek the supplementary grant for the exporters.

The ECC deferred a summary that had been moved to fix a profitable price of the next wheat crop for the farmers. But the matter was postponed.

The provincial cabinets of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have already approved the wheat support price of Rs3,000 per 40 kgs. The government of Balochistan has not announced the rate till date but the Sindh cabinet has announced the support price of Rs4,000 per 40 kgs.

A Cabinet Committee had met with the Chief Minister Sindh with request to review the MSP but no decision was made. The federal government is of the view that fixing the wheat support price at Rs4,000 would significantly increase inflation and Passco may also not be able to procure wheat from Sindh, while other provinces may impose a ban on the movement of wheat across borders.

The growers and middleman will use the price disparity amongst provinces to distort the market and hoarding and smuggling is likely to occur. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has reported the average local wheat price at Rs2,776.

The ECC was informed that in case of the proposed minimum support price of Rs3,000, the inflation would inch up by 1.27, which will further escalate by 2.9% in case the price is fixed at Rs4,000. The Food Ministry had recommended Rs3,000 price aimed at providing a profit margin of 20% to growers or at Rs3,200 to provide 28% profit.

The Food Ministry also presented a summary to use Gwadar port and revision of procedure for the pre-shipment inspection agency for the import of wheat. The ECC was informed that the reasons for higher price in limited bids received, in a tender dated 26th September, 2022, was increased risks due to change in inspection regime and port.

In view of the higher cost on import of wheat associated with the two proposals, the ECC approved the proposal that both amendments to TCP tender inspection might be dropped for the time being. However, pre-shipment inspection should be ensured at the loading port from the top four inspection firms by TCP/Ministry of Commerce. TCP was also directed to issue fresh tenders to ensure import of the allocated quantity of wheat.

Express Tribune
 
The federal government has filed a contempt of court petition against former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan over his long march call towards Islamabad, ARY News reported on Thursday.

According to details, the federal government has moved Supreme Court (SC) against Imran Khan, noting that the former premier was making announcements of long march that was violation of a court order.

The petition was filed by Interior Ministry on behalf of the federal government. In the petition, the federal government asserted that Imran Khan was making announcements to attack Islamabad.
 
SC moved against PTI’s ‘potentially disruptive’ march

ISLAMABAD: With the PTI gearing up to march on the national capital, the federal government on Thurs*day approached the Sup*reme Court seeking a restra*ining order against former prime minister Imran Khan from creating a perceived law and order situation in the name of “jihad” against the state through a planned long march, specifically at a time when flood-affected people require urgent relief.

On the other hand, the Interior Ministry also instituted contempt of court charges against PTI Chair*man Imran Khan for allegedly flouting the Supreme Court’s May 25 order. Whenever the apex court takes up the case, it is likely to be represented by the attorney general’s office.

In the May order, the petition recalled, the apex court had directed the PTI to hold a gathering in a ground located between sectors H-9 and G-9 in view of the categorical assurances on behalf of the party’s top leadership and their counsel that their rally would not cause any inconvenience or blockage of the Srinagar Highway or trouble the public and that the rally would be conducted in a peaceful and lawful manner.

Despite these assurances, the PTI top leadership, acting in blatant disregard for the directions, exhorted its supporters to reach D-Chowk, falsely professing that the court had allowed the march without any conditions.

The contempt petition pleaded for implementation of the apex court order for the protection of fundamental rights of the public, particularly residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The Supreme Court should also issue comprehensive guidelines for all future protests to be held in the federal capital that should include prior intimation of the date, selection of the venue, assurance of not causing any hindrance to public life and a commitment to ensure that the protesters would not cause any damage to public or private property.

The plea seeking a restraining order claimed the tone and tenor adopted by the PTI chairman in his speeches against the incumbent rulers and state institutions was “highly inflammatory”, aimed at encouraging distrust and contempt and instigating revolt.

This had caused significant alarm not only among the public, but also the international community and investors regarding the impact of this purported ‘jihad’, the petition claimed, adding the past conduct of the party head, especially the events of May 25 and his violation of court orders, his alleged encouragement of destruction of public and private property and disruption of law and order, merited strong directions from the apex court about his upcoming protests.

It further highlighted that the country was currently dealing with an unprecedented natural disaster that had caused massive loss of life, crops and infrastructure putting extreme pressure on an already vulnerable economy.

If the PTI’s march was allowed to go unchecked and unregulated, it would not only create a tenuous political and law and order situation in the entire country, but also divert the federal government’s attention from the rehabilitation efforts required in the flood-affected areas to mitigating the impact on the lives of residents of the twin cities.

The petition pleaded before the court that the current conduct and plans of the PTI chairman should be examined, adding in the last few weeks or so and through his speeches and media interviews, Imran Khan had been preparing his party workers and supporters for a long march towards Islamabad.

By describing the march and protest as a “jihad”, Mr Khan was instigating and inciting the public to revolt against the government.

“This call for jihad is nothing other than waging war against the state by a party and its leader who cannot accept that he was forced out of the government through constitutional means,” the petition feared.

DAWN
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Takhtbai ready for Sunday's bye election as well as our Islamabad march. Never has our country been so mobilised behind a cause as it is for Haqiqi Azadi. <a href="https://t.co/4nNTdMlZXo">pic.twitter.com/4nNTdMlZXo</a></p>— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1580768793982537729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
I really hope Imran understands this one day. What is he achieving by conducting these useless marches every second day? He is wasting the energy, time and resources of not only the people but also of the country and its security forces.

I'd rather he do something constructive again like those billion tree planting drives and whatever.
 
Sher Khan said:
I really hope Imran understands this one day. What is he achieving by conducting these useless marches every second day? He is wasting the energy, time and resources of not only the people but also of the country and its security forces.

I'd rather he do something constructive again like those billion tree planting drives and whatever.
Click to expand...

A democracy only works when the government is appointed by the people.
That is the whole purpose of having a democracy.
The rich and corrupt don't get to decide on their own. It is decided by the majority of the people, irrespective of their background, rich or poor.
 
PDM (PML) Daku killed a PTI campaigner in municipal election campaign

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ur" dir="rtl">رہنما تحریک انصاف ملتان شیخ طاہر حمید قریشی کو نامعلوم افراد نے قتل کردیا۔ <br><br>یاد رہے طاہر قریشی ضمنی الیکشن کے کمپین میں مصروف تھے۔<br><br>انا لله وانا اليه راجعون <a href="https://t.co/z7TjUg72Cx">pic.twitter.com/z7TjUg72Cx</a></p>— Naya Pakistan (@Naya__Pakistan_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Naya__Pakistan_/status/1580995795582525440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
RANA SANAULLAH REMARKS AGAINST IMRAN KHAN: PTI DEMANDS PEMRA ACTION​

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has approached Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to lodge a complaint against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah over his objectionable remarks against Imran Khan, ARY News reported on Friday.
PTI central leader Iftikhar Durrani wrote a letter to PEMRA in which he stated that Rana Sanaullah delivered objectionable remarks against Imran Khan during a TV show aired by a private news channel on October 13.

Iftikhar Durrani said in his letter that Sanaullah used abusive and condemnable language from the beginning of the TV show. He said that PEMRA regulations do not tolerate the use of shameful words in the national media.


He added that the TV show host has neither stopped Sanaullah from delivering abusive remarks nor his comments were censured. The objectionable statement was issued on broadcast and social media without any changes.

Durrani asked the PEMRA chairman to take notice of the objectionable content of the TV show and the private news channel besides ordering the private channel’s administration to remove the content from broadcast and social media.

He also demanded action against the TV show’s producer, director, editor and other concerned staffers.

https://arynews.tv/rana-sanaullah-remarks-against-imran-khan-pti-demands-pemra-action/
 
Sher Khan said:
I really hope Imran understands this one day. What is he achieving by conducting these useless marches every second day? He is wasting the energy, time and resources of not only the people but also of the country and its security forces.

I'd rather he do something constructive again like those billion tree planting drives and whatever.
Click to expand...

Imran has lost. He has been defeated and humiliated. It is game over for him.

He knows all of this is pointless now but his ego is too big to concede defeat.
 
He will be back in power next year. PML-N is the only political party capable of countering Imran, but unfortunately our government has not been able to deliver upto expectations. The people are already against us and their is no chance of anyone winning next year's elections besides Imran.
 
Imran is the ultimate Jalsa and Dharna king. Always launching some campaign or the other to oust the Shareefs.
 
Mamoon said:
Imran has lost. He has been defeated and humiliated. It is game over for him.

He knows all of this is pointless now but his ego is too big to concede defeat.
Click to expand...

Imran knows how popular he is - as do his opponents. Just a matter of time now.
 
Sher Khan said:
I really hope Imran understands this one day. What is he achieving by conducting these useless marches every second day? He is wasting the energy, time and resources of not only the people but also of the country and its security forces.

I'd rather he do something constructive again like those billion tree planting drives and whatever.
Click to expand...

The same reason all other politicians hold rallies. To excite their base, and build support for the next election. He should focus on building up PTI in interior Sindh for now. I think Punjab, KPK, and Urban Sindh are his to lose now. However PTI is still very weak in interior.
 
Mamoon said:
Imran has lost. He has been defeated and humiliated. It is game over for him.

He knows all of this is pointless now but his ego is too big to concede defeat.
Click to expand...

IK is a political genius.

He was about to lose the PM seat, so he created a foreign conspiracy angle. So he can play the victim card.

He also had a petrol subsidy so PDM was forced to raise the prices when they took office, otherwise the govt was going to go bankrupt. Now he can blame them for the economic mess.

And he has thrown more insults at the neutrals than PDM ever did, so he can also play the anti establishment card.

Game over indeed for PDM.
 
Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said Saturday that his party’s upcoming long march towards Islamabad would take place in October, however, he did not reveal the exact date, ARY News reported.

In an interview with private news channel, Imran Khan said that he had completed the planning for the next long march, however, he would not reveal the plan to anyone.

“Long march will be held in October,” Khan said, adding that he could take back his long march if the incumbent government announces fresh elections.

He predicted that the march to Islamabad would be the “biggest” in Pakistan’s history and a “sea of people” would flood into the city.

In response to a question, the PTI chief said that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has failed to hold negotiations with the IMF, adding that “imported government” neither increased remittances nor exports.

On Sharif’s family cases, he went on to say that after Maryam and Shehbaz Sharif, other leaders including former president Zardari and PML-N supreme Nawaz Sharif will also be acquitted in all cases after the changes in NAB laws.

He also lashed out at the incumbent chief election commissioner, saying that he had never seen such a biased ECP chief.

Regarding US President Joe Biden’s statement on Pakistan’s nuclear program and Shehbaz govt’s foreign policy, the former prime minister said failed attempts were made by the “imported government” to reset ties with the United States.

ARY
 
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Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday said that the government would be "10 times stricter" as compared to the policy adopted by the administration during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's long march to Islamabad in May as no one can be allowed to bring a new government through mobs.

The statement comes a day after former prime minister Imran Khan, during an interview, announced that his much-hyped long march to the capital would take place in October.

"If change is brought via a democratic process, we have no problems with it but we will not allow any long march under any circumstances," Rana Sanaullah said after casting his vote during the by-polls being held today.

Read more: Rs410 million approved to deal with PTI march

The PML-N leader said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has all the power and all agencies must implement its orders. He urged the voters to come out and vote, adding that the polling was underway in a transparent and peaceful manner. "All agencies including Rangers and police have done a good job whereas the counting of votes will be completed as per the procedure," he added.

Responding to a question, the interior minister said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will decide for himself about returning to the country.

Meanwhile, the federal government has approved a three-month extension in the deployment of Rangers in the federal capital.

According to sources, the federal cabinet approved the extension in the deployment of Rangers in Islamabad after the federal capital’s chief commissioner requested for an extension.

The federal capital has braced for a law and order situation in wake of the expected long march of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Former prime minister Imran Khan has been on a campaign against the coalition government since his ouster from office. He has threatened to march on the federal capital against the coalition government.

The Islamabad Capital Police have gathered more than 1,100 containers, with hundreds delivered to the federal capital, in an effort to prevent PTI’s ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’ to the federal capital.

According to sources, the capital will be completely sealed for a week following PTI chief Imran Khan's announcement of a confirmed date for the march. Schools and colleges will be shut down for this duration and all exams will be postponed.

Express Tribune
 
Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PIT) Chairman Imran Khan has asked the coalition government to announce elections or he would begin long march towards Islamabad, ARY News reported on Monday.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the former premier said he was giving some more time to the coalition government to announce elections but warned that he would not delay the long march beyond October.

Imran Khan said he was giving time to the government for the sake of the country. “They (government) still have time to announce elections, and if they don’t, I will begin my march towards Islamabad and my preparations are almost complete,” he warned.

Unmute
The PTI Chairman added that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah won’t even know what hit him, such is my preparation.

He also ruled out any dialogues with the ruling elite, saying: “There’s no negotiation with criminals. You can hold reconciliation talks with Baloch or Sindhi nationalists, but not with the felons like them.”

The former prime minister further claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif was delaying the general elections, adding: “Nawaz was afraid of polls due to PTI’s growing popularity.”

He reiterated that the ultimate goal of the ruling leaders was to secure a National Reconciliation Order (NRO) in their corruption cases.

Imran Khan demands re-election in Karachi’s NA-237
Earlier in the press conference, the former prime minister demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold re-election in Karachi’s NA-237 constituency, accusing Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of ‘rigging’.

He claimed that his party had evidence that the Pakistan People’s Party openly indulged in rigging. “Sindh’s election commissioner is on the provincial government’s payroll and we have already approached judicial council against him,” he told journalists.

A day earlier, Imran Khan made history by emerging victorious on six National Assembly seats on Sunday by-elections, according to unofficial results.

According to unconfirmed and unofficial results, PTI clinched victory in NA-31 Peshawar, NA-22 Mardan, NA-24 Charsadda, NA 108 Faisalabad, Karachi’s NA-239 Korangi, and NA-118 Nankana Sahib-II as PTI Chairman Imran Khan defeated ruling coalition candidates in respective constituencies.

PTI managed to secure six out of eight National Assembly seats in the crucial by-election on Sunday, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) clinched two — NA-157 Multan and NA-237 Karachi — which were bagged by the PTI in the 2018 general elections.

Khan condemns ‘custodial tortures’ on PTI leaders
During the press conference today, the PTI Chairman condemned the “custodial torture” inflicted on PTI leaders, saying that Senator Azam Swati was stripped naked in custody and tortured just like Shahbaz Gill.

“They beat up the 75-year-old in front of his grandchildren,” he said, adding that what the law enforcement agencies did to him was “utterly shameless”.

Imran pointed out that the incident created an impression as if “the army is out of control and could do anything.” He asked, “Doesn’t the Constitution provide the people of Pakistan the right to their self-esteem?”.

Announcing his party’s next line of action, Khan said: “We have decided to call special sessions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab assemblies on this issue”.

He added that PTI senators will file petition with the Supreme Court, while the party will approach international organisations, Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Geneva to register its concern regarding torture on its party leaders.
 
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday issued a major order ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march, questioning the Islamabad police's list of PTI leaders ordered to submit surety bonds and restrained the police from ‘unnecessarily’ harassing citizens.

Chief Justice of the IHC Athar Minallah heard former advocate general Niazullah Niazi’s petition against harassment by the police as the Islamabad police submitted their report to the court.

The chief justice questioned what kind of lists the police were making, to which the state council stated that the inspector-general had made a list of PTI leaders who were asked to give surety bonds.

Read Imran may announce date of long march next week: Rashid

Expressing indignation at the police officials, Justice Minallah stated that this was harassment and questioned how they could have asked for surety bonds.

“Is this the way? He is a former advocate general,” the CJ said to the police.

The police personnel further said that the report was made by the Special Branch and passed onto the IG who then gave it to the police.

Upon inquiry from the chief justice, sub-inspector Azmat Bajwa stated that he had called the petitioner and asked him to submit a surety bond.

The court asked which law the police had followed to ask for surety bonds, to which they claimed that they were following orders and had asked for bonds due to the potential disturbance of peace during the march.

The petitioner's counsel maintained that only the magistrate could order surety bonds, not the police.

Justice Minallah ordered the State Council to satisfy the court at the next hearing regarding the list prepared by the Special Branch. He added that the procedure adopted by the police for the surety bonds was not legally valid.

Read More PTI to celebrate triumph in by-polls with ‘thanksgiving day’

The state council failed to satisfy the court about taking surety bonds by summoning citizens to the police station. The IHC expressed anger at the police officials of the Bani Gala police station and said that the police could not assure the legality of asking for surety bonds.

They reiterated that the police reassure the court regarding the list at the next hearing.

The court adjourned the hearing till next week and restrained the police from harassing the petitioner and other citizens until the next hearing.

The petition

Former advocate general Islamabad Niazullah Niazi had approached the IHC against harassment by the police and had claimed that the Bani Gala police station had made a list of PTI leaders who were to submit a surety bond prior to the PTI march.

“I got a call from the Bani Gala police station, then a message asking for an affidavit stating that I would remain peaceful,” Niazi had stated.

'Haqeeqi Azadi' long march

The former ruling party's much-awaited long march to the federal capital is likely to happen in the third week of this month.

Party chief Imran Khan held a meeting of district presidents and secretaries of PTI's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab wings on October 03, wherein he issued strict instructions to the officials for the upcoming march.
 
Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has hit back at former prime minister Imran Khan’s warning to the government for early elections, saying that “PTI’s victory in the by-elections does not give it a license to invade federal capital”.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Monday, the minister said the PTI chief had no right to threaten the coalition government with long march if snap polls were not announced.

Earlier today, Imran Khan had said the nation had rejected the 'imported government' and reiterated his call for early elections, saying the government is being given 'some more time' before he gives the final date for the party's long march.

"I am giving them (government) some more time for the sake of the country and I repeat that they still have time to announce elections," said the PTI chief.

"If they do not, I will begin my march as the preparations are almost complete," said Imran as he addressed the media in Islamabad a day after landslide victory in the by-polls on eight national and three provincial assembly seats.

Responding to his statement, Marriyum said PTI’s defeat in Karachi’s Malir and Multan by-elections were a “referendum” against Imran Khan.

“He [Imran] remains silent when a decision comes in his favour but insults Election Commission when he faces defeat in the elections,” she added.

In a separate statement, Marriyum said the by-election’s results had shattered the narrative of a “foreign funded fitna” (Imran Khan) who bent upon maligning the state institutions by hurling accusations, abuse and threats.

She questioned the rationale behind the narrative pursued by Imran Khan ‘against state institutions’ after his win on six seats of the National Assembly in Sunday’s by polls.

“Will the ‘absolutely fraud’ demand resignation of the chief election commissioner in his press conference today. Will the ‘foreign agent’ make a speech against the ‘neutrals’ today,” she said while posing a series of questions to Imran Khan.

She ridiculed Imran for celebrating the PTI’s further loss of two seats in the parliament, saying PTI still lacked the magic number of 172 — which is required to oust an incumbent government.

She said Imran could not dictate the government and parliament after losing two of his own seats in the by polls.

He could not change the government by attacking the federal capital and creating anarchy in the country.

“PTI has become a one-man party which has no candidate other than Imran Khan,” she added.

‘Army chief appointment’

The minister said PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif appointed six army chiefs in the past when he was the prime minister while “Imran is begging to appoint one army chief”.

As per law and the Constitution, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will appoint the next army chief, she added.

“If Imran Khan is so eager to appoint new army chief then he should complete 172 seats in the parliament and form his government in a constitutional manner. After the by-election, Shahbaz Sharif has support of 176 seats in National Assembly,” she remarked.

Marriyum also accused the PTI chief and his party of attempting to cause a mutiny in the military and running a smear campaign against the state institutions.

(With input from APP)

Express Tribune
 
The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the federal government’s request to issue an interim order against PTI chief Imran Khan to bar him from what authorities described as creating a perceived law and order situation in the name of “jihad” against the state through a planned long march.

The dismissal came during the hearing of a contempt petition filed by the federal government against Imran for allegedly flouting the top court’s May 25 order regarding the party’s “Azadi March”.

In the same plea, the government sought a restra*ining order against the former PM from creating a perceived law and order situation through an intended march, specifically at a time when flood-affected people require urgent relief.

A five-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial heard the petition. Apart from the CJP, the bench consisted of Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi.


During the hearing, Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Ashtar Ausaf argued that citizens’ rights had been affected by the PTI’s previous sit-in. The party had submitted an affidavit stating that citizens would not be inconvenienced, he informed the court.

“The court order allocated a specific place but the sit-in was brought to D-Chowk, which resulted in material losses. The court should punish those who violated its orders,” he urged.

Imran had issued a call for workers to gather at D-Chowk despite assuring the court he would not do so during proceedings, the AGP recalled. The Srinagar Highway was opened for traffic on the court’s order. The PTI itself asked for Parade Ground but the workers gathered at D-Chowk instead, he added.

“[Party] workers came towards the Red Zone where there were clashes with law enforcement agencies. Protesters damaged public and private properties,” Ausaf continued, adding that during the proceedings that culminated in the SC’s May 25 order, the PTI’s lawyers were in contact with the party leadership.

Ausaf also read out the SC’s May 25 order in the court. “The order prevented us from arresting [PTI’s] workers. It directed the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Inspector General Islamabad and the interior ministry to submit reports.

“When the reports were submitted, it was found that PTI had violated the assurances [it gave the court],” the AGP said. He informed the court that he had not been provided copies of the reports, at which the bench assured that he would be given the reports.

Ausaf informed the court that policemen from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir had also entered the capital during the march.

The bench then provided the AGP reports from the police and administration regarding that day’s events and asked him to analyse them.

Ausaf asked the court to issue an interim order. When the chief justice asked what the attorney general wanted, the latter replied, “Imran is calling the attack on Islamabad a jihad. He is inciting people through his speeches.

“It is the state’s responsibility to protect citizens’ fundamental rights.”

“According to you, the court order had already been violated. You were the executive authority and following the court order. In the present situation, you have the liberty to take preventative measures,” Chief Justice Bandial observed.

He noted that 31 people had been injured in the “Azadi March” and public property had been damaged. “Imran Khan went back the next morning.

“We will analyse reports in this matter. You should prepare in accordance with the law,” he instructed the attorney general while referring to the PTI’s upcoming march, the date for which has yet to be announced.

“You are telling us [the PTI] has planned a march and sit-in again. You can deal with the situation in accordance with the law,” he iterated. “As of now, there are only speeches. You should take steps wherever there are threats in cities.

“You should request [the court] to stop the crowd when people gather. There is no crowd right now,” the chief justice observed.

The court rejected the government’s request to issue and interim order for stopping the PTI’s intended long march and directed the AGP to come prepared at the next hearing.

The petition
The federal government, through the interior ministry, had approached the Supreme Court last week for initiating contempt of court proceedings against Imran for violating its May 25 order, wherein the PTI was restricted from holding its ‘Azadi March’ near Peshawar Mor between the H-9 and G-9 areas of Islamabad. However, Imran and his supporters made their way towards D-Chowk in alleged contravention of court orders.

According to the petition, the apex court had in its May order directed the PTI to hold a gathering on a ground located between sectors H-9 and G-9 in view of the categorical assurances on behalf of the party’s top leadership and their counsel that their rally would not cause any inconvenience or blockage of the Srinagar Highway or trouble the public and that the rally would be conducted in a peaceful and lawful manner.

Despite these assurances, the PTI top leadership, acting in blatant disregard for the directions, exhorted its supporters to reach D-Chowk, falsely professing that the court had allowed the march without any conditions, it added.

The contempt petition pleaded for the implementation of the apex court order for the protection of the fundamental rights of the public, particularly residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

It also requested that the Supreme Court should also issue comprehensive guidelines for all future protests to be held in the federal capital that should include prior intimation of the date, selection of the venue, assurance of not causing any hindrance to public life and a commitment to ensure that the protesters would not cause any damage to public or private property.

The plea also claimed the tone and tenor adopted by the PTI chairman in his speeches against the incumbent rulers and state institutions was “highly inflammatory”, aimed at encouraging distrust and contempt and instigating revolt.

This had caused significant alarm not only among the public, but also the international community and investors regarding the impact of this purported ‘jihad’, the petition claimed, adding the past conduct of the party head, especially the events of May 25 and his violation of court orders, his alleged encouragement of destruction of public and private property and disruption of law and order, merited strong directions from the apex court about his upcoming protests.
 
Imran calls off protests, insists on long march
PTI chief hits out at ECP over its verdict in Toshakhana reference disqualifying him for five years

ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan called off the protests by his supporters on Friday, telling his party’s workers to focus on the “long march” on Islamabad that would be “largest protest movement” in the country.

In a video message, released after he was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Toshakhana (gift depository) reference, Imran said that he did not want the party workers to run into any trouble.

Soon after the ECP verdict, PTI workers and supporters took to the roads in several cities and towns across the country in protest. In Islamabad the PTI workers also clashed with police.

He asked the PTI supporters to end protests and disperse, and wait for his call for the long march. “You are already in a difficult phase and I don’t want you to remain in trouble,” the PTI chairman told his workers and supporters.

“I will give you a call [for long march] and this will be the country’s largest protest movement. This movement will not stop until the rule of law is established in the country,” he added.

In his pre-recorded message, Imran lashed out at the ruling coalition for attempting to “silence” him. He also stated that he had anticipated the verdict, accusing the chief election commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja of being biased.

Earlier, other PTI leaders were also infuriated at the ECP verdict. They termed the decision a “minus-one [Imran] formula” that would unacceptable to their party.

In a statement, the party said that the assemblies of Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, where the PTI was in majority, had summoned emergency sessions to give a strong reaction to the ECP verdict.

Addressing a news conference PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the party would not accept a “minus-one” formula. PTI Secretary General Asad Umar maintained that whoever was dreaming about “minus-Imran” should be clear that “it is not happening”.

Umar said the party challenge the ECP order in the high court as soon as a copy of the order was received. “We expected this verdict. Our lawyers are prepared, the petition is ready and the decision will be challenged in the high court,” he added.

PTI Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa President Pervez Khattak reacted: “The Toshakhana case against Imran Khan is absolutely baseless. Imran Khan is our red line so watch out.”

Speaking to the media outside the ECP office, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry asked the public to come out of their homes for their rights, as the commission's ruling was a “slap in the face of 220 million people”.

“Today is the beginning of the revolution. No one can disqualify Imran Khan. Only the public can do that,” he said. “We had no hope of anything good from them [ECP]. The ECP did exactly what we expected of them.”

Senior PTI leader Shahbaz Gill said the party would approach every forum against the verdict, adding that Imran had been disqualified from just one seat, not politics.

Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, Imran Khan’s lawyer, wondered why the ECP was not issuing the detailed order, stressing that as per his understanding one member had not signed it yet.

“Let me reiterate, every gift received by Imran Khan has been paid for according to law and each gift has been accounted for in his tax returns. All proof including sales receipts were submitted to the ECP,” he claimed.

“No institution other than a court of law has the power to disqualify a parliamentarian for making an alleged misdeclaration. Sending the reference to the ECP has undermined the office of the National Assembly speaker.

PTI leader Dr Shireen Mazari flayed the verdict against the PTI chairman and accused the ECP of “fraudulently” disqualifying Imran at the behest of the “conspirators”.

PTI leader Shafqat Mahmood called it a “condemnable decision” and “a black day for Pakistan”. History would remember this commission as “anti-people and a handmaiden of looters and plunderers”, he added.

PTI Sindh President Ali Zaidi called the verdict “shameless”, saying: “We have said this before that Imran Khan is our red line and today you have crossed that red line,” he noted.

PTI senior leader Imran Ismail urged the people to “leave [their homes] for Pakistan”. He added that it was known that a “compromised” election commission would give this decision”.

Express Tribune
 
IMRAN KHAN TO ANNOUNCE LONG MARCH’S DATE ON FRIDAY

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has asserted that he would announce the date of party’s long march towards Islamabad next Friday (October 28), ARY News reported on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference alongside PTI Senator Azam Swathi, the former prime minister said he would announce the date for his ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March (long march) next Thursday or Friday and warned the government against taking steps to stop the march.

In response to a question about backdoor talks, Imran Khan said that he was not expecting any “meaningful result from backchannel talks”. “Political parties always hold backdoor channels talks but I don’t think these ongoing talks will have any meaning outcome,” he added.

He warned that his ‘Azadi March’ would turn into chaotic one if the government attempted to stop the march. “I would not allow the government to torture or harass his party leaders and workers like the last time,” he added.

The former prime minister further said that the incumbent rulers have suffered defeats in the recent by-elections. “Hence, they would not announce early elections,” he added.

Earlier on October 17, the former premier asked the coalition government to announce elections or he would begin long march towards Islamabad.

The PTI Chairman said he was giving some more time to the coalition government to announce elections but warned that he would not delay the Azadi march beyond October.

Imran Khan said he was giving time to the government for the sake of the country. “They (government) still have time to announce elections, and if they don’t, I will begin my march towards Islamabad and my preparations are almost complete,” he warned.

‘Custodial torture’
During the press conference, the PTI Chairman also lambasted the authorities over the “custodial torture” of party leader and Senator Azam Swati – who was granted post-arrest bail a day earlier.

Khan also vowed to approach every forum over the “custodial torture” of Swati. He alleged that his ex-adviser Shahbaz Gill was also tortured, stripped naked and sexually assaulted.

“He [Azam Swati] was beaten in front of his grandchildren,” Imran said, adding that the Senator was later “handed over” where he was beaten after being stripped naked.

ARY
 
More than 30 religious scholars from Punjab called on former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in which various issues were discussed, Express News reported on Sunday.

The delegation, under the leadership of Chairman of Sunni Ittehad Council Pakistan Sahibzada Hamid Raza, met the ex-premier at his residence in Islamabad's Bani Gala. Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senator Shibli Faraz and others were also present at the meeting
 
He'll compromise with the government before the announcement is made. IK uses these dharna's and marches as a matrimony to choose his next wife!. I am serious when saying this.
 
Laanti traitor pmln illegal government embedding their paltu dogs into PTI protestors to instigate violence and then blame Imran khan and PTI for it. These are the true colours of beauqat sharif khandaan and their police who abuse their oath to illegally favour these janwaars.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ur" dir="rtl">جس طرح سفید شلوار قمیض ویسٹ کوٹ والا شخص PTI کے احتجاج میں گھسایا گیا جو مخبریاں کر رہا<br>اسی طرح یہ لوگ اپنے لوگ بھیجتے ہیں احتجاج کو خونی بنانے کے لیے۔<br>یہی لوگ فساد کریں گے، آگ لگائیں گے اور الزام <a href="https://twitter.com/PTIofficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PTIofficial</a> اور <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> پر آئے گا۔۔ ان پر نظر رکھیں<br> <a href="https://t.co/vMOCtg0ojv">pic.twitter.com/vMOCtg0ojv</a></p>— Imran Afzal Raja®️عمران افضل راجہ (@ImranARaja1) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranARaja1/status/1583841989618851840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
imran Khan looks the only hope in such daring situations. We are going nowhere with this regime. God help us.
 
PML-N hoping long march will be ‘damp squib’

ISLAMABAD: Although Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has threatened to ann*ounce long march this week, sources in the government indicate the PML-N does not expect it to be any bigger than its previous power shows.

A source in Prime Minister Office told Dawn that public reaction to Mr Khan’s disqualification in Toshakhana case was not as high as the government had expected. Apparently, the ‘inadequate’ reaction also upset Mr Khan who then had to ask his supporters to call off their protests against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in various parts of the country, the source believed.

However, PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry had a different reason for the move to call off the protests. He said, “We did not want to start our protest with a knee-jerk reaction because we have already made a comprehensive plan how to stage the long march and what would be its arrangements.”

According to the source in the PM Office, in the wake of ‘inadequate’ public reaction, the PTI chief was ‘uncertain’ whether he would be able to pull ample number of people to streets or not for the much-trumpeted long march.

The source said the recent audio leaks in which ex-PM Khan could be heard purportedly suggesting that the US cipher should be presented as a ‘threat’ and that his party was to ‘play’ on it affected his charisma and followership.

Fawad Chaudhry says PTI didn’t want to start protest as knee-jerk reaction to Imran’s disqualification

Also, the Election Commission of Pakistan’s verdict in the Toshakhana case said Mr Khan had not declared in returns, the income he had generated by selling foreign gifts he obtained as premier during the past four years.

The government believed that it was quite difficult to change the mindset of PTI supporters even if Mr Khan was found guilty in any case, yet the recent Toshakhana case verdict might have raised some questions in their minds.

On the other hand, Fawad said a comprehensive plan was ready to hold the march for which the PTI chairman would announce a date this month. It was possible that it would be staged the very next month, he added.

Regarding venue of PTI’s sit-in in Islamabad after the long march, he said: “It has already been announced that our protest programme will be held in Fatima Jinnah Park (commonly known as F-9 Park, some six kilometres from D-Chowk, where PTI had staged its 120-day sit-in in 2014).”

Mr Fawad said it was not true that the ex-premier wanted to kickstart the ‘decisive’ march against the PML-N government with the reaction shown by his supporters on the day of his disqualification. “We did not want to start our protest with a knee-jerk reaction, because we have already made a comprehensive plan how to stage the long march and what would be its arrangements,” he added.

He elaborated that the PTI’s long march plan had details of the boarding and lodging of marchers, especially those who would join in from other cities. It described where they would arrive and where they would stay, he said, hinting that the sit-in could prolong.

However, another source in the government said, the ruling coalition had already made up its mind that no leniency would be shown if the PTI tried to barged into any other area of the federal capital, except the one to be allocated to the marchers.

“This time the government is fully prepared to meet any assault of the PTI in Islamabad,” the source added.

Earlier, the PTI chairman had announced that he would give a call of long march in October. With only a week left in the current month and weather turning cold in Islamabad with each passing day, many believed that it would be difficult for Mr Khan to pull huge crowds to throng the ‘sensitive areas’ of the federal capital.

DAWN
 
Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has that said his party’s long-awaited long march to Islamabad will begin from Lahore on coming Friday.

“I am kicking off the long march from Lahore. We will gather at Liberty Chowk at 11pm on Friday from where we will march towards Islamabad,” the PTI chief announced while addressing a press conference in Lahore on Tuesday.
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Imran, who was removed from power through a vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly in April this year, said the objective of his long march is to achieve “real freedom” in the country, saying that his protest rally is not a “politics but a struggle to get freedom from thieves”.

He added: “This Jihad will determine the direction of the country.”

Imran last Saturday announced that he would reveal the date for the party’s much-anticipated long march on coming Friday, saying that he was not expecting any “meaningful result from backchannel talks”.

Imran, who has constantly been building momentum for the long march but has kept people guessing about its contours, heightened the suspense when he revealed that the final date for the long march would be announced on October 28, warning that the ‘organised protest’ could result into chaos if the government attempted to stop it.

“Political parties always hold backdoor talks but I do not think the ongoing talks will have any meaningful outcome,” the PTI chief said while addressing a news conference, flanked by party leader Azam Swati in Islamabad on Saturday.

He said that the importance of the negotiations was only to the extent of early elections but, it seemed, the incumbent rulers were not going to call snap polls.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2383430/islamabad-long-march-to-begin-from-lahore-on-friday-imran
 
ISLAMABAD: A day after former prime minister Imran Khan announced his much-awaited march on Islamabad which will commence from Lahore on Friday, the capital administration has stepped up preparations to counter the protest and multiple arrest teams have been formed to deal with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) protesters.

Islamabad police officers told Dawn that the police have started gathering intelligence regarding the preparations made by the PTI for the protest in Islamabad.

According to the intelligence gathered so far, the former ruling party has asked supporters to arrange gas masks, bed sheets, blankets, towels, three pairs of clothes, small-size tents, sling-shots, marbles and batons for the sit-in in Islamabad.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1717082/islamabad-braces-for-another-ptis-long-march
 
LAHORE/SIALKOT/ISLAMABAD: As he termed his imminent protest one of the “biggest freedom movements” in Pakistan, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman spent a busy Wednesday in Lahore assigning party leaders different tasks to ensure maximum participation of supporters in the long march likely to reach Islamabad on November 4 after spending a week on the road.

Former prime minister Imran Khan held multiple meetings in the provincial capital, including a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi at his Zaman Park House, to take stock of the political situation ahead of the march. He also assigned duties to party leaders to create awareness among the public regarding the march. The PTI aims to reach Rawalpindi-Islamabad on Nov 4 a week after the party begins its march from Lahore’s Liberty Chowk on Oct 28.


The rally, led by Imran Khan himself, will make the first overnight stay in Shahdra — right outside Lahore — followed by rallies and overnight stays in Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat, Jhelum, and eventual landing in Rawalpindi via GT Road.

In Lahore, PTI Central Punjab president Dr Yasmin Rashid and other party leadership on a container, painted red and green, toured from party’s Jail Road office to Liberty Chowk and planned arrangements for smooth gathering of party workers and supporters on Friday morning. In a video message, she invited party workers and supporters to take part in the march to jolt the “imported government”. Chiding Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah for establishing the walls of containers, she asserted, “The federal government will be demolished when the long march would reach Islamabad.”

Later, Mr Khan along with Parvez Elahi chaired a joint meeting of the PTI and PML-Q parliamentary parties — ruling parties in Punjab — and took the lawmakers into confidence regarding the long march. Mr Khan asserted that the protesters marching against the “imported government” would stay peaceful as their movement was aimed at a “soft revolution”. Both parliamentary parties’ members expressed their resolve to fully support and participate in the long march.

The ex-premier also visited Sialkot to drum up support for the long march wherein he addressed a gathering of lawyers and party workers. “The long march will be the biggest freedom movement in Pakistan. As long as I am alive, I will fight against thieves and robbers,” Mr Khan told supporters in Sialkot.

Mr Khan said his protest was beyond politics as he urged people to come out to support his march for ‘real freedom’. He also took a jibe at Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and warned him a ‘sea of people’ was coming to Islamabad.

‘Final destination Islamabad’

Meanwhile, PTI Central Secretary General Asad Umar submitted an application to the Islamabad Deputy Commis*si*o*ner’s office, seeking permission for a gro*u**nd for the purpose of organising a political gathering between sectors G-9 and H-9.

In a statement issued from PTI Central Media Department, Mr Umar revealed that PTI march would reach Islamabad on Nov 4.

PTI Islamabad President Ali Awan in a letter to the deputy commissioner stated that the PTI had decided to hold jalsas/sit-in from November 4 known as ‘Haqeeqi Aza*adi March’ at Srinagar Highway between H-9 and G-9, near weekly Bazaar Islamabad, as per the decision of the apex court.

He said PTI Chairman Imran Khan would lead the ‘Haqeeqi Azaadi March’ and the sit-in. Ali Nawaz Awan also requested the DC to take necessary measures, especially related to security for the peaceful public gathering.

On the other hand, in order to deal with the marchers, at least 13,086 personnel — 4,199 capital police, 1,022 Sindh Police, 4,265 FC and 3,600 Rangers — have been deployed in the federal capital.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2022
 
Former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has said that Imran Khan's much-hyped long march to Islamabad was not for a revolution, but to install an army chief of his own choice.

In a statement issued on Twitter on Wednesday, the former prime minister gave his reaction after the long march was announced by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, saying that the people have seen his ‘revolution’ during his four-year rule. “Imran Khan's long march is not for any revolution but to install an army chief of his own choice.”

Nawaz Sharif said that Imran Khan, who calls others thieves, has proven himself to be the biggest thief in the country’s history with irrefutable evidence of foreign funding, Toshakhana and robbery worth Rs50 billion.

Political tension is growing in the country as Islamabad has been put on high alert after Imran Khan on Tuesday announced holding the much-awaited long march on Friday, demanding the government call fresh general elections.

The government has also started preparations to deploy thousands of security personnel to block Imran's supporters from entering the capital.

According to officials, the interior ministry has already decided to deploy around 30,000 police, rangers, and paramilitary troops in Islamabad and not allow protesters to enter the red-zone area near the parliament building.

President’s House, Prime Minister's House, ministers’ offices, parliament, and other important buildings, including foreign embassies, are located in the red-zone area.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court showed restrained from granting the federal government’s request to prevent Imran Khan from holding the PTI's upcoming long march.

A five-judge larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial heard the case.

Commenting on the matter, the CJP said that the court “does not want to use its pen as a stick”.

PTI chief's long march announcement comes after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified him for failing to disclose gifts and proceeds of their alleged sale he received while serving as prime minister.

The Islamabad High Court, however, said he is not barred from contesting elections in the future.

Earlier this month, he won six of the seven National Assembly seats in a by-election he said was a referendum on his popularity.

Express Tribune
 
Long march not meant to topple govt: Imran

LAHORE: PTI chairman Imran Khan on Thursday evening called upon people to join his “Haqeeqi Azadi Long March” taking off from Liberty Chowk at 11am on Friday (today).

“The purpose of the long march is not any political gains or to topple the government but to make sure that our future is not decided by foreign players,” said Mr Khan in a video message on Thursday evening.

He said the long march would also look to ensure the provision of justice to every citizen of the country.

Later, Mr Khan briefly appeared at the party’s container anchored at the Liberty Roundabout and urged people to come to join his long march in droves.

DAWN
 
PTI FINALISES COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF IMRAN KHAN-LED LONG MARCH

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has finalised the complete schedule of the Imran Khan-led long march to be started on Friday (today) from Lahore’s Liberty Chowk, ARY News reported.

The proposed schedule of PTI’s long march was completed by the party leaders. Imran Khan will stay in the Punjab capital till Friday.

  • 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.
  • 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.

ARY
 
PTI dedicates long march to Arshad Sharif

The PTI has dedicated its long march to slain journalist Arshad Sharif and the media fraternity, saying people must come out in large numbers if they wanted "actual change" in the country.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar said Imran Khan was the only leader who could bring about "much-needed" change in Pakistan.

"You should take part in this march even if you do not belong to the PTI. The nation must reject decisions taken behind closed doors," Fawad told a presser, adding that Imran would leave Zaman Park shortly and head towards Liberty Chowk.

He underlined that the future of Pakistan was dependent on the success and failure of today's march. "If this movement fails, then the nation will fail," he added.

DAWN
 
Live Transmission

<iframe width="542" height="305" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nveLBea9nSY" title="&#55357;&#56628; LIVE | Haqeeqi Azadi Long March Exclusive Transmission | Imran Khan's Powershow | PTI Social Media" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Seems too long to me. Even if I want them to succeed by getting early elections I think a shorter agenda would have been far better. Starting Friday and ending Sunday seems a reasonable amount of time to ask from the supporters.

Mind you the public are enraged right now with everything that's happened in the last week. Maybe it will be sustained for over a week.
 
No dog in the fight but what do these long marches accomplish exactly apart from disrupting traffic and day to day life of people.

Then again lot of jobless and ambition-less people in our part of the world so won’t be tough to put together a big crowd.
 
Local.Dada said:
No dog in the fight but what do these long marches accomplish exactly apart from disrupting traffic and day to day life of people.

Then again lot of jobless and ambition-less people in our part of the world so won’t be tough to put together a big crowd.
Click to expand...

That's exactly the argument some posters used. Jobless louts coming out to the Jalsa's.
Democracy isn't really like that though is it especially when the people actually voted on their feet in various bi elections.
 
IMMY69 said:
That's exactly the argument some posters used. Jobless louts coming out to the Jalsa's.
Democracy isn't really like that though is it especially when the people actually voted on their feet in various bi elections.
Click to expand...

Bro seriously tell me this, you and me talk so much politics on forums but how many protests have you been to?

I will speak for myself 0. To me what matters is going to work and competing my work especially on a weekday.

By the way I am not saying this because it involves Pakistan or Imran Khan but I have wondered the same about all the massive crowds I see for even Indian politicians.
 
Local.Dada said:
Bro seriously tell me this, you and me talk so much politics on forums but how many protests have you been to?

I will speak for myself 0. To me what matters is going to work and competing my work especially on a weekday.

By the way I am not saying this because it involves Pakistan or Imran Khan but I have wondered the same about all the massive crowds I see for even Indian politicians.
Click to expand...

The situation Pakistan is not the same though.
Pakistan is suffering from Political, Judicial and Constitutional crises.
The country is at a crossroads. So its finally come down to People vs Establishment.
If the Establishment wins then it will be decades more of suffering for the poor.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Haqeeqi Azadi March started at Liberty and the people of Lahore have come out to lead our March.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%AD%D9%82%DB%8C%D9%82%DB%8C_%D8%A2%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%AF%DB%8C_%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%DA%AF_%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%DA%86?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#حقیقی_آزادی_لانگ_مارچ</a> <a href="https://t.co/2KlvW7tmPz">pic.twitter.com/2KlvW7tmPz</a></p>— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1586001964495773696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
IMMY69 said:
The situation Pakistan is not the same though.
Pakistan is suffering from Political, Judicial and Constitutional crises.
The country is at a crossroads. So its finally come down to People vs Establishment.
If the Establishment wins then it will be decades more of suffering for the poor.
Click to expand...

Pakistan is its army. Without Army, there is no Pakistan. Imran is taking on the highest institution in Pakistan.

I remember many of my Pakistani friends defending Pak army as much as they defended Islam. Now the same Pakistanis are blasting their own army to support Imran.
 
Champ_Pal said:
Pakistan is its army. Without Army, there is no Pakistan. Imran is taking on the highest institution in Pakistan.

I remember many of my Pakistani friends defending Pak army as much as they defended Islam. Now the same Pakistanis are blasting their own army to support Imran.
Click to expand...

You're confused. Nobody is suggesting to get rid of the army lol. Without an Indian army there will be no India or any other nation. What an absurd statement.

IK is marching for freedom from any corruption. Many in the armed forces support him but the general in charge doesnt.

The people in such huge numbers will always win in the end.
 
KingKhanWC said:
You're confused. Nobody is suggesting to get rid of the army lol. Without an Indian army there will be no India or any other nation. What an absurd statement.

IK is marching for freedom from any corruption. Many in the armed forces support him but the general in charge doesnt.

The people in such huge numbers will always win in the end.
Click to expand...

Its about curtailing army power and making them sit in the back seat. Not getting rid of army completely.
 
Ind media know worried PK institutions being weakened by IK. Yes you read right, Ind media quoted on Geo. The nexus between our local traitors and our enemies is for all to see.
 
Bewal Express said:
Ind media know worried PK institutions being weakened by IK. Yes you read right, Ind media quoted on Geo. The nexus between our local traitors and our enemies is for all to see.
Click to expand...

For decades Indian media has calling Pak army to behind terrorist attacks or more accurately supporting those fighting for freedom in Kashmir.

It shows Indians are more scared of IK than the army.
 
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