Imran Khan, a former prime minister of Pakistan, and thousands of his supporters have begun a march toward the capital in an effort to persuade the administration to hold early elections.
Khan has attended demonstrations across Pakistan since his ouster in April following a no-confidence vote in the government, inciting opposition to a ruling party that is fighting to rescue the economy from the crisis Khan’s administration left it in.
Ex-Prime Minister Khan of Pakistan and his followers began their march to Islamabad.
Khan intends to gather more support along the Grand Trunk Road as the motorised caravan steadily makes its way north toward Islamabad before entering the capital the following week.
Khan stated that by the time he arrives, he anticipates being accompanied by hundreds of thousands of people, and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has requested permission from the capital’s authorities to hold a sit-in.
From the eastern city of Lahore, about 10,000 protesters fled on Friday, many of them packed into many cars and trucks.
Before leaving, Khan spoke to his followers and called the action a “peaceful march.” He also vowed to keep fighting the government until it agreed to conduct early elections. The administration of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has frequently affirmed that the 2023 elections will take place on schedule.
The chants of “Imran, many people are willing to offer their lives for you” were among the ones that the Khan fans in Lahore yelled.
Laila, a mother of two from the eastern Punjabi city of Toba Tek Singh, echoed those ideas.
“My husband and two sons, who are nine and eleven, and I have travelled to Lahore to participate in the long march. Because Khan is fighting for a better future for my children, I am not worried about security, she added, noting that she and her family would travel to Islamabad and remain there until the protest was over.
Khan has already employed this strategy, most recently in May, a few weeks after losing power. But that time, as Khan’s supporters approached Islamabad’s government district, police clashed with them and deployed tear gas, which caused the protest to disperse rapidly.
This time, Khan has urged demonstrators to remain calm and promised not to breach the government’s “red zone.” He made a commitment that the demonstration would stay in places set aside by the courts and municipal authorities.
But given the polarised political climate, violence worries continue. Islamabad is governed by the federal government, which has stated that the city’s police will use force if protest plans are deviated from.
Khan anticipates more than a million people travelling with him, but the capital’s officials intend to obstruct their path.
However, he claimed, “the government in Islamabad has made provisions and placed containers all over the country.” They claim that any attempt to march directly into Islamabad would be met with full force.
