Dawood Ahmed :
ISLAMABAD: Police used tear gas to disperse the protesting Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf (PTI) workers as the former prime minister, Imran Khan vowed to reach the D-Chowk despite all obstacles. Various violent clashes between police and supporters of the former premier were reported from the federal capital and other parts of the country.
“Come and join the Azadi march”, the former premier asked his supporters in a video. He strongly criticized the police for using force against the PTI supporters. Police also smashed the glasses of the vehicle of former health minister Punjab, Dr. Yasmeen Rashid. She also suffered a hand injury in the incident.
Interior Minister, Rana Sanaullah however in a press conference claimed that only five to six thousand supporters had joined the former premier. “I apologize to the nation over our security arrangements since people turned down the request of the former PM”, he said.
“Where are your two million people in Islamabad”, Maryam Nawaz Sharif
“Where are your two million people in Islamabad”, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Vice-President of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) questioned on the social media network Twitter.
Imran Khan, later, departed for Islamabad from the Wali Interchange in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Afterward, PTI tweeted a photo of Imran waving to supporters from a truck adorned with PTI colors. Imran also urged protesters to carry the Pakistani flag, calling today’s march a “defining moment” for Pakistan.
‘No blockade can stop us’
After reaching Swabi, Imran, holding a Pakistan flag, delivered a speech to supporters saying that “we are going to D-Chowk and no one can stop us” as the crowd cheered.
Calling the incumbent government a “group of thieves”, he termed them the most corrupt people in the country and said that they were afraid of the masses which is why they had placed containers.
He said protesters were being detained and harassed as they participated in the Azadi March. Addressing politicians of the ruling coalition, Imran said that the PTI government did not bar any of them from staging protests as it “did not fear the people”.
