Azadi March In Pakistan: Lathi Charge, Section-144 Imposed
Azadi March in Pakistan: Clashes between Imran supporters and police; Fired tear gas shells, lathi charge, section-144 in many cities.
Pakistan’s Shahbaz Sharif government has stepped up efforts to thwart opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s march a day after he was banned.
According to the news agency, all the roads leading to Islamabad have been sealed and closed to thwart this march. More than a thousand workers of Imran’s party have been arrested.
Clashes between Imran supporters and police
At the same time, the news agency quoted eyewitnesses as saying that Pakistani police on Wednesday fired tear gas shells and lathi-charged the supporters of Imran Khan from reaching the capital of Islamabad.
Political and economic instability has deepened in the South Asian nation ahead of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) possible announcement of launching a $6 billion rescue package.
Raids on workers’ homes.
According to Geo News, Pakistan Police have raided the houses of PTI leaders and activists. PTI leader Mian Mahmood-ur-Rashid was also arrested last night.
The Pakistan government says that it is taking preventive measures to stop the propaganda of the misleading agenda of PTI.
Imran Khan, 69, announced on Saturday that he would travel from Lahore to Islamabad with his supporters on May 25 to demand early elections by the dissolution of the National Assembly.
Azadi March in Pakistan: Section-144 was imposed to stop the rally.
Therefore, the Shahbaz Sharif government has imposed section 144 to stop the rally in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Some other cities have also imposed restrictive sections.
According to the report of the news agency, Punjab Province Home Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza said that Pak Rangers have been deployed to help the police.
More than four thousand soldiers from other districts have also been called to Islamabad.
Imran calls supporters.
PTI President Imran Khan has invited people to attend his rally in large numbers.
Imran Khan said after his party’s core committee meeting in Peshawar ahead of Wednesday’s rally that he would meet people on the Srinagar highway at 3 pm on May 25.
Demand for early elections was turned down.
Pakistan’s Shahbaz Sharif-led coalition government has turned down Khan’s demand for early elections. The government said it would complete its term and elections would be held next year only.
The Sharif government had earlier given permission to Imran’s party for the protest march but withdrew the permission on Tuesday in view of the possibility of violence and unrest at the rally.
Officials said that all-important places, including the entry and exit routes of Islamabad, parliament, government offices, and diplomatic missions, have been blocked.
