Imran Khan once more targets Pakistan’s institution on Day 2 of protest march; govt guidelines out talks over snap polls

Imran Khan on Saturday once more focused the highly effective institution, saying the folks of Pakistan shouldn’t be handled like “goats and sheep”, even because the coalition authorities dominated out any negotiations with the previous prime minister on holding snap elections.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief addressed the contributors of his lengthy march on the Day 2 of his protest rally at Shahdara space of Lahore earlier than main them to Islamabad in a convoy of automobiles.

Continuing his anti-establishment rhetoric, Khan, 70, made it obvious that he was speaking in regards to the management of the military and the premier intelligence company.

“Don’t treat us like animals, that you first call them robbers and then impose them on us, and tell us bhair bakrian (goats and sheep) that now move in this direction,” he stated, alluding in direction of what apparently the institution used to inform him about rulers earlier than him.

“You first tell us that Nawaz Sharif was a robber and now he is clean. Previously Zardari was ‘Mister 10 per cent’ in the world, but now since ‘we have decided, you also accept him’.” Khan additionally talked in regards to the alleged torture of his celebration senator Azam Swati, who was arrested earlier this month for a tweet in opposition to the Army chief and later launched on bail. He alleged that first they “tortured” his chief of employees Shahbaz Gill, then journalist Jameel Farooqi and now “75-year-old Senator Azam Swati”.

He advised his supporters that he’s there to inform them what freedom is. “Free men rule the world,” he advised his supporters.

“I want to convey a message that we are humans and not sheep,” stated Khan. Khan additionally urged military chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to probe the allegation of torture by Swati in opposition to two military officers.

He claimed that incidents of torturing folks and threats have elevated ever because the army officers, named by Swati, have come into energy in Islamabad.

Ahead of Khan’s lengthy march, PTI chief Swati at a press convention in Islamabad on Friday held two army officers liable for his custodial torture and referred to as for them to be faraway from their posts.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated on social media that elections can be held on the constitutional time and there’s “no risk of negotiations with Khan’s celebration.

“Negotiations and consensus among political forces on national issues is a part of the democratic mood,” Asif tweeted. “There is no possibility of the negotiations that PTI is making noise about. Let Imran Khan play this.” “Let Imran Khan play at this. At present Indian media is giving him full attention and air time, enjoy it,” he stated.

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb additionally categorically dominated out any negotiations or talks with Khan.

“I’ve categorically said this person is not worth talking to — he is a liar,” she stated whereas addressing a press convention in Islamabad, including that negotiations couldn’t be executed on the streets.

Marriyum says “Imran’s narrative in opposition to military ‘demolished in Pakistan, being celebrated in India.” Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb attacked PTI chief Khan over Friday’s speech during which he critcised the military’s prime brass.

“This narrative has been destroyed in Pakistan, Imran Khan sahib, and is now only being celebrated in India,” she stated whereas addressing a press convention in Islamabad.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has shaped a nine-member committee to take care of the legislation and order scenario amid the PTI’s lengthy march to Islamabad, state-run PTV reported.

The committee is headed by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and contains Marriyum amongst others.

After Khan’s speech, the protest march started shifting in direction of capital Islamabad after spending the night time in Lahore.

The lengthy march dubbed as Haqeeqi Azadi March started from the Liberty Chowk space of town on late Friday afternoon and the contributors moved slowly because the PTI held energy reveals at Ichhra, Mozang, Data Sahib and Azadi Chowk areas of Lahore.

It plans to journey on the historic GT Road and to reach in Islamabad on November 4 to carry a giant protest rally, which can be remodeled right into a sit-in.

On the second day, the convoy moved to Kamoke through Muridke. Then the rally will proceed in direction of Gujranwala City the place Khan will deal with a public gathering. From Gujranwala, the rally will proceed to Sialkot through Daska and Sambrial, and it’ll conclude at Wazirabad for an in a single day keep.

The subsequent morning, as per the itinerary of the lengthy march, the convoy will head in direction of Gujarat, house city of Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi who will welcome it. Khan will deal with a public gathering there.

Later, the convoy will head in direction of Lala Musa and Kharrian. The subsequent day, the march will go to Jhelum the place former federal minister Fawad Chaudhary was anticipated to greet the convoy. Then Khan will journey to Rawalpindi through Gujar Khan.

PTI convoys from north and south of Punjab may also be a part of the lengthy march at Rawat in suburbs of Islamabad from there to march into the capital metropolis.

According to Khan, the aim of the march was to realize actual freedom by forcing the federal government to announce snap elections.

He has promised to stay peaceable, and keep from the excessive safety Red Zone housing state buildings and embassies, however many doubt his pronouncements because of previous historical past of U-turns.

He has sought permission to carry the rally which has not been granted but because the capital administration has sought a proof from PTI leaders over violations of phrases and circumstances throughout its earlier public gathering on May 25 in Islamabad.

The authorities has additionally requested the celebration to specify the locations for his or her gathering and likewise inform the administration the time of calling off the protest, the tentative variety of contributors and what would be the actual route via which contributors of the lengthy march will enter Islamabad.

The authorities has taken elaborate safety measures to cope with the scenario as there’s concern the violence could erupt if the marchers have been forcibly stopped to enter town.

In a separate interview with Dunya News TV, he stated that PTI’s demand was early elections. “We don’t want interference (by the army), we want elections,” Khan replied. To a query in regards to the sit-in, he didn’t rule out the chance by saying the “party has just begun”.

Khan has been demanding early elections and threatening a protest march in direction of Islamabad to power his calls for if the federal government failed to provide a date for elections. The time period of the National Assembly will finish in August 2023 and recent elections needs to be held inside 60 days.

Khan, who was ousted from energy in April after dropping a no-confidence vote in his management, has talked a couple of ‘threat letter’ from the US and claimed that it was a part of a overseas conspiracy to take away him as he was not acceptable for following an unbiased overseas coverage. The US has bluntly rejected the allegations.