After ending nearly inflexible negotiations with the government yesterday, the opposition’s anti-government long march being called as ‘Azadi March’ will begin today from Karachi where the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has already finalised arrangements.
JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman will himself lead the Azadi March, a statement issued by the party on Thursday had stated. The firebrand politician will be given every facility in his container so he could address the rallies at different points during the march. Sources told Dunya News that several workers of the JUI-F were being arrested from different cities.
The march will proceed to the Superhighway (M9) after smaller demonstrations will emerge from the city’s six districts and gather at Sohrab Goth, according to the statement. All buses and other vehicles have been transported to the specified spots to kick off the massive demonstration.
According to a no objection certificate (NOC) issued by the office of the deputy commissioner of Karachi’s East zone, permission has been granted to JUI-F leader Maulana Fatehullah, for the party to hold a rally adjacent to Super Highway, near Total petrol pump in Sohrab Goth.
On late Saturday, the government and the opposition’s Rehbar Committee struck a deal after entering into tough talks and breaking the earlier deadlock.
According to the terms and conditions of the Azadi March, the protesters will not enter into Islamabad’s Red Zone and instead will culminate their demonstration in H-9 area in Sunday bazaar grounds.
During a press conference after talks, government’s negotiation committee head and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak recalled Prime Minister Imran Khan’s promise that the participants will see no obstacles from the government as long as the protest is peaceful.
According to the agreement, the government will not stand in the protesters’ way and neither will the participants face any difficulty in getting food delivered.
Importantly, the participants will not be allowed to venture far from the designated venue, whereas the responsibility of the internal security will lie with the organisers.
The leaders further pointed out that in case of a violation of the terms and conditions, and damage to lives or property, the relevant action as per the law will be taken.
The local administration in Islamabad has yesterday placed containers and barricades ahead of the march.
Thousands of policemen have been tasked to prepare for any untoward situation and maintain law and order situation in the capital city. Police had held a drill to perform anti-riot exercises and learnt how to use water cannons to disperse protesters.
Effective security measures have been formulated for the safeguarding Faizabad Interchange and other entry points, including Rawat and Tarnol.
A two-layer security ring has been created around the Red Zone for security of government buildings. Hundreds of containers had been placed at the roadsides and greenbelts to use them in case need arise.
The law enforcement agencies and Mansehra Police conducted a joint operation in Islamabad’s Sector E-11/3, and arrested JUI-F’s Mufti Kifayatullah for allegedly issuing derogatory remarks against the national institutions.
Reportedly, he has been shifted to Central Jail Haripur.
Last Monday, police arrested Maulana Shafiq-ur-Rehman and Maulana Muhammad Irshad from Shams Colony and seized banners for the JUI-F sit-in from their possession.
Police alleged that the duo had been urging people to participate in the Azadi March.
Earlier, JUI-F leader and head of the opposition Rehbar Committee Akram Khan Durrani had said: “All 11 members of the committee have achieved consensus that the protesters will not enter the Red Zone.”
Durrani had said the protest march will “not be prolonged”. “We will make further decisions as and when appropriate.”
He had reiterated the party’s demands, namely, the prime minister’s resignation, fresh elections, no interference from the military, and the protection of clauses pertaining to Islam within the Constitution.
He had also urged the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to release all political prisoners. He had rejected the government’s imposition of ban on ‘Ansar-ul-Islam’, the “militant” wing of the JUI-F.
In Punjab, the provincial government has recently empowered deputy commissioners (DCs) under Section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to counter Azadi March on the pretext of maintaining law and order in the province.
Earlier, these powers under the above section of the CrPC rested with the provincial government and only it could take action or lodge a complaint against anyone.
In June, Fazl had announced that his party had decided to hold an anti-government long march to Islamabad in the month of October in a bid to topple the government, which he sad had come to power through “fake” elections.
