Tag: Azadi March

  • How much did the PTI’s Azadi March cost the government?

    How much did the PTI’s Azadi March cost the government?

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s ‘Haqiqi Azadi March’ cost the government Rs149 million to maintain law and order in the capital, reports Dawn.

    The amount of Rs149 million was demanded to bear expenses for five days. Rs47,500,000 was sought for hiring 380 containers (each costing Rs125,000 for five days use), Rs1,300,000 for four cranes (each costing Rs65,000 for five days) and Rs1,000,000 for four fork lifters (each for Rs50,000 for five days).

    Likewise, Rs2,798,500 for 100 buses for transportation of the force from outside to the capital (each costing Rs27,985), Rs9794,750 for 350 buses for transportation of the force within capital (Rs27985 each), Rs2,798,500 for 100 buses for transportation of the force back to their respective districts (Rs27,985 each), Rs1,685,000 for 100 trucks for logistics teams, food, water (for five days and each costing Rs16,850), Rs260,000 for 10 water tankers for five days (each costing Rs26,000).

    Moreover, an amount of Rs41,250,000 was also demanded for food charges for 15,000 officials of the capital and other district police for five days, the officers said. To purchase complete anti-riot kits, another amount of Rs35,300,000 was demanded.

    Similarly, Rs4,500,000 were sought for the purchase of miscellaneous items – water, coolers, torches, electricity, etc.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif while speaking in the National Assembly praised the capital police, Rangers, Frontier Constabulary, and the traffic police along with the capital administration and other departments for their efforts to maintain law and order and for the protection of public and private property.

    He also announced a package for a martyr and injured officials of the Punjab Police.

  • PTI Azadi March: Khan leaves D-Chowk, says will come back in 6 days if no election announced

    PTI Azadi March: Khan leaves D-Chowk, says will come back in 6 days if no election announced

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan addressed the protesters at Islamabad’s 9th Avenue and gave a six-day deadline to the government for announcing elections and dissolving assemblies.

    “I had decided that I will sit here until the government dissolves assemblies and announces elections, but of what I have seen in the past 24 hours, they (govt) are taking the nation towards anarchy,” he said, claiming that the government was also trying to create a divide between the nation and the police.

    “The government tried every method to crush our Azadi March. They used teargas on peaceful protests, our homes were raided and our privacy was violated. However, I have seen the nation free itself of [the] fear of slavery,” said Khan addressing his caravan.

    He claimed that five PTI protesters were killed in clashes after the PTI’s march, saying that one had fallen off the Attock bridge amid tear-gas shelling and the other was pushed into Ravi river. He said he had also received information that three were killed in Karachi.

    Addressing the Supreme Court (SC), he asked, “What crime were we committing?”

    He said he “wants justice for the people of Pakistan from Supreme Court judges and the lawyers’ community”.

    “I am again asking the judiciary to save your FIA (Federal Investigation Agency). In the future, no FIA officer will investigate the powerful if he will meet the same end as Dr Rizwan and Asghar,” he added. Imran said peaceful protest was the right of every Pakistani and no one “gives you [the government] to treat the people in the manner that you treated them”.

    People have completely rejected the riot: Sanaullah

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, meanwhile, said the people “have completely rejected the riots”. In a statement posted on PML-N’s official Twitter account, Sanaullah was quoted as saying he had been personally monitoring the security situation.

    “Imran Niazi entered the city after getting permission from the Supreme Court to hold a rally at a designated place in Islamabad and broke his promise by announcing plans to go to D-Chowk.”

    Read more: PTI Azadi March: Imran sets out to lead party caravan, tensions escalate

    Army summoned to control the situation

    As the situation turned chaotic in Islamabad after Khan and his convoy entered the federal capital and started marching towards the city’s D-Chowk, the government decided to seek the help of the army to control the situation and protect the government’s offices located in the Red Zone.

    The government, in a notification, said that the army was summoned to control the situation under Article 245 of the Constitution.

    PTI, govt negotiations fail

    Following the Supreme Court’s order for the government and the PTI to hold negotiations in a bid to control the situation at 10pm Wednesday, the government’s team headed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ayaz Sadiq, reached the commissioner’s office in Islamabad but the PTI team, led by Bawar Awan, returned without holding the talks due to the late arrival of the government’s team.

    Sadiq said it was decided to meet at 10pm but “due to the closure of roads, the government’s team reached the Islamabad commissioner’s office 25 minutes late”.

    “We were gathered here on SC’s orders but now leaving as a sign of protest,” he told journalists. The PML-N leader added that the purpose of the dialogue was to select a place and set a guideline for PTI’s protest.

    “Following the court’s order, we have removed obstacles but the city was set on fire,” he added. “The chief commissioner had been continuously calling the PTI team but they were not responsive. However, we will wait here a little longer for them.”

    SC directs govt to provide PTI with ground between H-9, G-9 areas to hold jalsa

    The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the federal government to provide the PTI with a ground between the H-9 and G-9 areas of Islamabad to hold its public gathering.

  • PTI Azadi March: Imran sets out to lead party caravan, tensions escalate

    PTI Azadi March: Imran sets out to lead party caravan, tensions escalate

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Azadi March began on Wednesday, tensions rose across the country as police made use of tear gas and arrested several PTI marchers headed toward Islamabad.

    Khan’s message for PTI supporters

    PTI Chairperson Imran Khan called on his supporters to join his freedom march.

    In a video message, Khan said, “I will lead the Azadi March caravan from Peshawar, and God willing, we will head to Islamabad from there. I want each and everyone to leave because this is a defining moment.”

    Khan waves to supporters from a truck

    Imran Khan arrived at the Wali Interchange in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by helicopter.

    Khan, later, departed for Islamabad from the Wali Interchange in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    ‘Defining moment’ for Pakistan

    Imran also urged protesters to carry the Pakistani flag, calling today a “defining moment” for Pakistan.

    ‘No blockade can stop us’

    After reaching Swabi, Khan delivered a speech to supporters. In it, he said that “we are going to D-Chowk and no one can stop us” as the crowd cheered.

    Khan said that the PTI government did not bar any of them from staging protests as they “did not fear the people”.

    He said that the government was afraid as they had been plundering national wealth for the past 30 years. “I want to give the people a message from Swabi Interchange: whatever you do, we will cross all obstacles and reach D-Chowk. Our protest will be peaceful as it has always been.”

    “I want to give the people a message from Swabi Interchange: whatever you do, we will cross all obstacles and reach D-Chowk. Our protest will be peaceful as it has always been.”

     “This nation does not accept this imported government,” he declared, calling on the people to come out for what he has described of late as a “jihad” for “true freedom”.

    “All Pakistanis, women, children, families, youth, lawyers, retired army officers, everyone has to come out for real independence,” he said.

    No agreement has been reached

    Following the directions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the two sides have agreed on PTI holding a jalsa instead of a long march, Geo News reported. Talks between the government and PTI continued for two-and-half hours.

    Khan in relevance to the news tweeted, “Absolutely not! We are moving towards Islamabad & no question of any deal. We will remain in Islamabad till announcement of dates for dissolution of assemblies & elections are given.”

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb also said that no agreement has been reached between the federal government and PTI. She said news of negotiations and an agreement between the government and PTI is “baseless”.

    Detention expected of Khan

    The government has decided to detain PTI Chairman Imran Khan with the top party leadership on its way to Islamabad from Peshawar today for the Azadi March, reports The News.

    Rangers deployed in Islamabad

    On Tuesday, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced that the federal government will not allow any riots in the name of the PTI long march. Section 144 has been imposed in Lahore, Karachi and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and the roads leading up to the capital city from different parts of the country have been blocked. Rangers have been called in by the government to help protect Islamabad’s, Red Zone.

    https://twitter.com/RashidK10425837/status/1529329373781934081?s=20&t=BqLkjo0MNs35Ix8fAEpfsg
    PTI workers clash with police at Lahore’s Batti Chowk

    PTI workers marching towards Islamabad from Lahore engaged in a clash with the police at Batti Chowk in Lahore as they tried to remove the barricades on the roads. Policemen stopped PTI supporters from moving forward and used tear gas.

    According to PTI’s official Twitter account, the marchers were also stopped at the Shahdara area.

    Dr Yasmin Rashid’s car attacked by police

    PTI supporters came forward and verbally abused the police officials. Meanwhile, Dr Yasmin Rashid tried stopping the police from taking away her car keys.

    Hammad Azhar tried to be arrested

    PTI leader Hammad Azhar tweeted, the impediments and containers on Bati Chowk, Ravi Bridge, and Shahdara have been removed and the roads have been cleared by “the public”.

    https://twitter.com/azammaalik/status/1529380891247755266?s=20&t=38SnfKGvZmlJ1vwGCvqC0w
    Weapons and ammunition recovered

    Meanwhile, police said that they have recovered heavy ammunition and weapons from the residences of PTI leaders Bijash Niazi and Zubair Niazi.

    DIG Operations Sohail Chauhdry in a press conference shared that the raids were conducted at Nawan Kot and Multan Road areas from where three persons were arrested. However, Zubair Niazi fled from the scene. Giving details of the arms recovered, the police officer said that six 223 bore guns, 13 rifles, 96 SMG rifles, and 26 magazines of pistols were found.

  • How much did the ‘Azadi March’ cost the government?

    How much did the ‘Azadi March’ cost the government?

    Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s ‘Azadi March’ which took place from October 31 to November 13 cost the government over Rs240 million, Rs248 million to be exact.

    According to a report in Dawn, this amount is payable to contractors/vendors whose services were hired for security and other arrangements which included lodging, meal and transportation of police called from other districts.

    As many as 5,000 from the capital police along with 3,000 Frontier Constabulary, 1,500 Punjab Constabulary, 2,000 from KP police and 500 from Kashmir and railway police were deployed in Islamabad during the sit-in. 550 containers were also arranged to block roads as a part of security measures and 105 vehicles, including 88 buses, were used to transport the security personnel.

    The rent of a 40-foot container was Rs20,000 a day and Rs14,000 for a 20-foot container. On the other hand, the rent of a bus was Rs25,000 per day and Rs15,000 of a wagon/truck. The fuel for these vehicles cost the police Rs 20 million.

    The capital police also purchased anti-riot gears to deal with confrontations, though none took place in the 13-day sit-in.

    Other expenses included the rent of nine buildings hired for the force requisitioned from other provinces.

    Meanwhile, Rs695.6 million were spent during PTI and PAT’s dharna in 2014.

  • ‘I am a dharna expert’: Prime minister belittles Fazl’s Azadi March

    ‘I am a dharna expert’: Prime minister belittles Fazl’s Azadi March

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Monday called himself a “dharna [sit-in] expert” as he boasted of his 126-day lockdown of the federal capital from 2014 and belittled that of Maulana Fazlur Rehman-led Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) which ended within two weeks.

    Addressing the groundbreaking of the Hazara Motorway Phase II in Havelian, the premier called JUI-F’s 14-day sit-in a “circus” and added that the protesters could not even stay for a month in the capital.

    He reiterated that would not spare “a single corrupt person” in the country no matter how they tried to “blackmail” the government and added that he “did not care about votes, but feared God and the hereafter”. “My message [to all my opponents] is that my God has trained me for challenges. I know how to win and how to face defeat. And I know how to stand back up after I have been defeated.”

    Warning opposition leaders against ganging up on him, the premier also trained guns at his political nemeses, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

    While PM Imran said that Shehbaz was “trying to be Nelson Mandela” — former South African president and peace activist who spent 27 years in prison due to his political struggle — he also mimicked Bilawal in an attempt to troll the PPP chief for his rainwater gaffe.

    “When it rains, water pours down. When it rains more, more water pours down.”

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “Bilawal’s theory shocked even the most remarkable scientists like Einstein,” the premier said further and assereted that the PPP chairman claimed to be a liberal “but he was liberally corrupt”.

    BILAWAL STRIKES BACK:

    It wasn’t later that Bilawal reacted to PM Imran’s remarks in a tweet.

    He said that he was neither liberal nor corrupt or a hypocrite. “I am a visionary and progressionist who has been in politics for more than a year,” he said, adding that the premier was a 70-year-old who had been exercising “selected” politics for more than 20 years.

    “Imran Khan’s identity by U-turns, hypocrisy and being a puppet,” Bilawal wrote.

  • VIDEO: JUI-F leader claims Azadi March ruined Israel’s 40 years of investment in Pakistan

    The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader Rashid Mehmood Soomro has claimed that Israel has said that JUI-F’s Azadi March has ruined their 40 years investment in Pakistan.

    Rashid Somroo made these claims in a talk show with journalist Hamid Mir when the Azadi March protest was still active, the video of which has now gone viral over the internet.

    JUI-F leader said, “The Israeli newspapers have reported this that Azadi March has managed to ruin their 40 years investment in Pakistan”, adding that the protest also suppressed the talks about Pakistan accepting Israel as a state.

    Hamir Mir on this claim made by Rashid remarked that no government official had made any statement regarding the acceptance of Israel.

    To which JUI-F leader claimed that “top government officials were engaged in backdoor talks with Israel and were ready to accept it, but JUI-F successfully managed to stop these talks”.

    Watch Video:

    The protests, led by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, began with the ‘Azadi March’ on October 27 from Karachi. Thousands of supporters reached Islamabad on October 31, holding a two-week sit-in on the city’s main highway.

    On November 13, Fazl ordered his supporters to disperse across the country to block roads, in what he termed as ‘Plan B’ to topple Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

    On Thursday protesters blocked the Grand Trunk Road between Islamabad and Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, causing lengthy delays. Similar disruptions were reported in Jacobabad — a city in Sindh linking the province with Balochistan and Punjab.

  • Maulana Dharna is over

    Maulana Dharna is over

    Maulana Fazalur Rehman has announced that he is ending the Azadi March dharna and is going ahead with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F)’s Plan B.

    Plan B consists of blocking highways across Pakistan, in every province and major cities.

    After the announcement of ending the sit-in, Azadi March participants have dismantled their tents and have started leaving the H-9 venue in Islamabad.

    Memories the Azadi Marchers are leaving behind

    Plan B has already begun as dharna protests have begun on the Quetta-Chaman highway. They are also planning to block highways in Lower Dir and the Indus Highway. In Punjab, they will be blocking G.T. Road. The motorway to Sukkur and the road linking Ghotki to Punjab will also be closed.

    The blocking of roads will officially start on Thursday at 2PM. JUI-F representatives say that they will not carry sticks and ambulances will be allowed to pass through.

  • Azadi March Police Official slits his own throat

    Azadi March Police Official slits his own throat

    A policeman on duty at the Azadi march in Islamabad, slit his own throat with a blade when he was not given permission to go see his sick daughter in Swat.

    Head Constable Khan reportedly attempted to kill himself after his leave was rejected. He had gotten news that his daughter was seriously ill and asked his commanding officer for leave. The officer denied the leave and reportedly told Khan off for asking for leave during such a difficult time in the capital but Khan said that if he was in Swat with his daughter, he could get her the medical help she needed. He asked for leave again but was rejected once again and told that he could not go back to Swat until the Azadi March was over.

    RELATED: Azadi March: Police unhappy with govt over improper food, living conditions

    Upset, Khan went to the bathroom and slit his throat with a shaving blade. His roommates broke into the washroom after hearing him and and rushed him to the hospital. Express Tribune sources claim that although he has been operated on, his condition is still serious.

    A police probe has been initiated to investigate the issue.

    Khan was part of a police team that was called in from Swat to help monitor the Azadi March in Islamabad.

  • ‘Will allow Maryam to travel abroad as well if she gets ill,’ says Interior minister

    ‘Will allow Maryam to travel abroad as well if she gets ill,’ says Interior minister

    Interior Minister Ijaz Shah has said that even Maryam Nawaz would be allowed to travel abroad if she was unwell, Geo News reported.

    According to the details, the minister said that there was no difference of opinion in the cabinet over the issue of removing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL).

    “Nawaz Sharif is being allowed to go abroad on humanitarian grounds,” Shah said, adding that according to the doctors, former Prime Minister’s health was in critical condition and his treatment was not possible in Pakistan.

    “Nawaz is not going out of the country on a permanent basis. He will return after recovering from illness,” Shah said, dispelling the notion that the PML-N leader was being given relief under a deal.

    He added that all the ministers were in favour of allowing Nawaz to go abroad for treatment.

    Commenting on the ongoing Azadi March, Shah said, “We are giving Maulana Fazlur Rehman so many facilities that he will forget his demand for the prime minister’s resignation.”

    The minister, however, conceded that the JUI-F chief was not going to leave Islamabad anytime soon. “We have given him water, electricity and medical support,” he said, adding that Maulana Fazl had grown fond of Islamabad.

  • ‘#ShameOnUsmanDar’ trends after PM’s aide makes fun of Pashtuns

    ‘#ShameOnUsmanDar’ trends after PM’s aide makes fun of Pashtuns

    Hashtag “#ShameOnUsmanDar” on Wednesday started trending on Twitter after Special Adviser to the Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Youth Affairs, Usman Dar, made fun of Pashtun workers.

    “In the end, they [the Azadi marchers] will get the same [returns] as those Pathan [vendors] who roam in streets and sell a blanket worth Rs500 for Rs50,” the PTI leader had said while appearing on Express News’ programme To the Point earlier this week.

    He was immediately called out by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Hina Pervaiz Butt, who was also a guest on the show. “I want to condemn [the usage] of the word Pathan [randomly] like this. We are all Pakistanis,” she said.

    Dar, however, continued to use the rhetoric until the show’s host, Mansoor Ali Khan, asked him to take his words back.

    “Alright, I will take [my words] back,” the PTI leader later conceded.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    The remarks invited a backlash on Twitter, where “Shame on Usman Dar” became a top trend as users condemned the PTI leader’s choice of words.

    MNA Mohsin Dawar also reacted to Dar’s statement, saying, “Pashtun displacement into Punjab is a cost of Pakistan’s strategic depth policy.”

    “These Pashtuns won’t have left their homeland, if it wasn’t used for strategic games and was allowed to grow to full potential. #ShameOnUsmanDar for making fun of those who are just making an honest living,” he added.