Thousands of people, including women and children, gathered near the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah for Imran Khan’s massive “tsunami” rally.
The rally began with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party’s leaders addressing the crowd gathered at the Bagh-e-Quaid, adjacent to the mausoleum of Jinnah.
‘Peace in Karachi, a stable and progressive Pakistan’ read a giant banner on centre stage. The rally lit up once Imran Khan entered the venue and went to the main stage to resounding cheers and slogans.
Every time Imran waved back with a big smile to the sea of people carrying red and green party flags and many wearing caps, the crowd cheered with slogans ‘Imran Khan Zindabad’, ‘Tehreek-e-Insaaf Zindabad’.
All roads leading to the Quaid-e-Azam park, the venue of the rally adjacent to the Jinnah’s mausoleum, were jammed with buses, trucks, cars, motorcycles and pedestrians who were eager to reach the place.
Mindful of the response to Imran’s call for Karachiites to attend the rally in large numbers and show their support for a change in the country and against corruption, the organisers had set up giant video screens outside the park for people who could not find a place inside.
Live Updates
19:50: Chairman PTI Imran Khan is addressing the ‘Jalsa’:
“Next stop of the Tsunami will be Quetta on 23rd March 2012.”
“I thought it would be difficult to outnumber Lahore’s Tsunami.
I will not criticise anyone today. I welcome Javed Hashmi and I admire your courage.
I will present my road-map today. Quaid-e-Azam wanted Pakistan to be an Islamic welfare state.
We have to bring a system of justice. PTI supports independent judicial system and will provide justice at grass-root level.
I promise, we will control and finish corruption in 90 days.
Our policies will be focused on support the poor.
We bring a system of tax so we do not have to beg from any country for aid. We will bring foreign investment and our economy will grow on its own.
We will bring a sincere and qualified team in elections.”
PTI has announced that there are more than 5 lac people at venue:
19:15 – Shah Mehmood Qureshi is addressing the gathering:
“Pakistan and Karachi have woken up. We are here to save Pakistan. Will you support us? This huge gathering is here for peace of Karachi.
Corruption and incompetence of rulers is the only threat to democracy.
Nuclear program is a necessity for the country. We have fool-proof security for our nuclear assets and there is no threat to our nuclear assets. Zardari lied to me regarding our nuclear assets and that is the reason I believe our nuclear assets are not in safe hands”
18:45 – Javed Hashmi is addressing the gathering:
“Quaid-e-Azam’s goal was justice and Imran Khan and PTI are also focused on justice. Imran Khan has same principals which Quaid-e-Azam had. Corrupt are ruling this country and there is no justice.
I still love PML-N but i love Pakistan more. I have joined PTI not for myself but for Pakistan.
Sindhi, Baloch, Pathan, Bengali, Urdu-speaking and Punjabi are living in Karachi. Karachi is Pakistan and we will bring peace back to Karachi.”
In repsone, the crowd is chanitng:
“Ek bahadar admi, Hashmi Hasmi!” (One brave man, Hashmi, Hashmi!)
Javed Hasmi replying:
“Han main baghi hon! ” (Yes, I am a rebel! )
18:35 – Justice Wajih-u-Din addressing the gathering:
“This is an historic moment. People present here will remember this moment forever”
18:20 – Senior Vice President PTI addressing the gathering:
“It is the beginning of PTI era! ”
18:10 – Fouzia Kasuri , Preisdent PTI Women Wing, addressing the crowd.
17:50 – The venue is filled to capacity and people are still coming in meanwhile Imran Khan and other PTI members are offering prayers on the stage.
17:45 – Abrar ul haq is addressing the gathering with a poem and chanting:
“Inqlab, Inqlab, Inqlab!“(Revolution, Revolution, Revolution).
17:30 – Azam Swati is addressing the gathering.
17:10 – Salman Ahmed from music group ‘Junoon’ performing on stage
16:45 – Jahangir Tareen addressing the rally:
“Nation is dissapointed in current rulers. PPP and PML-N have bankrupted the country. PTI will bring a positive change and Imran Khan is a ray of hope for public.”
16:40 – Imran Khan has arrived at the stage along with Javed Hashmi, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri, Jahangir Tareen, Azam Swati and others.
16:00 – According to media reports, this gathering is bigger than the gathering in Lahore.
16:00 – More than 100,000 people have arrived at the venue.
Click on the play button below to start the live stream of the rally!
