Imran Khan leads rally for early polls, supporters detained

PTI

Islamabad, May 25

A defiant former PM, Imran Khan, today marched towards Islamabad with hundreds of his supporters who were removing the barricades placed by the government to stop them, even as Pakistan’s Supreme Court directed the authorities to allow the protest rally in the national capital and restrained them from arresting Khan.

A three-member Bench ordered that the ground between G-9 and H-9 sectors of the national capital should be provided for the rally by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Issuing directions on a petition filed on Tuesday by Islamabad High Court Bar Association President Mohammad Shoaib Shaheen, the court also ordered a bipartisan committee of the government and PTI to settle the terms and conditions for holding the rally in a peaceful manner.

Meanwhile, Khan in the evening said his long march had entered Punjab and was heading towards Islamabad. He started his march from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with a large caravan to demand the removal of the government and an immediate national election.

“No amount of state oppression and fascism by this imported government can stop or deter our march,” tweeted the 69-year-old former premier, who has been leading the march mounting on a truck.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took to social media to oppose the protest launched by Khan to force early elections.

“It has been my conviction that Pakistan will progress only through sheer hard work. Politics of dharna is detrimental to progress & stability,” he said. His statement came as Khan told his followers to reach the D-Chowk in Islamabad. He announced a sit-in until the government announced early elections.

Khan was ousted from power last month through a no-trust vote. The authorities had blocked major roads leading to Islamabad using shipping containers and trucks and arrested several supporters of Khan in a bid to derail the march.

Earlier in the morning, the police fired teargas and chased Khan’s supporters who hurled stones near Lahore, leaving several injured. The clashes between the police and Khan’s supporters were also reported at several places.

A crackdown started in various cities and the police arrested hundreds of PTI workers and some of its leaders to stop them from joining the protest known as “Azadi March”.

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