LAHORE-
On Pakistan’s 68th Independence Day, anti-government drives by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) headed towards Islamabad to protest against alleged electoral rigging, calling for a resignation by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and introduction of electoral reforms.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan announced a civil disobedience movement against the “corrupt and incompetent” federal government on Sunday and stepping up pressure on the government, PTI also resigned from its seats in the National Assembly, and provincial assemblies in Punjab and Sindh.
The decision of winding up its government in Khyber Pakhtukhwa province pending until consultations with its coalition partners.
PTI’s Azadi March participants led by Imran Khan and PAT workers led by Dr Tahirul Qadri have reached Prime Minister’s Secretariat on Tuesday, as Khan told his supporters that they would move toward Prime Minister’s House on Wednesday if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not step down from office.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his government have resolved that they would not submit to the protesters’ demand for the PM’s resignation. The decision was made at a high-level meeting at PM’s House.
Meanwhile, the 111 Brigade has also been deployed at the Red Zone. The brigade has often been used to secure Islamabad – as well as used in military takeovers.
The country’s powerful military has urged both the government and the protesting parties to resolve their issues through dialogue in “the best interest of the country”.
The army’s statement came as the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif decided not to use force to quell the protests and let the protesters enter the most sensitive area of the federal capital.
All stories on Azadi March and Inquilab March since their inception on August 14 can be found here and here, respectively.
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Below are the updates for Wednesday’s happenings , Day 7 of the protest rallies in Islamabad:
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Resignation by PM ‘first condition’ for talks: Qureshi
PTI Leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi announced that the party will not be partaking dialogue with the government, adding the the resignation of PM Sharif is the first and foremost condition for talks to take place.
He had earlier said that the party was considering to hold talks to put an end to the deadlock between the two parties and strengthen democracy.
MQM, Ijaz hoepful for ending deadlock
Speaking to media, MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi thanked Dr.Qadri for honouring them and appealed to the government to remove barricades and containers for easing the supply of food for PAT workers.
“I feel that the deadlock will end”, he said, adidng that “Dr.Qadri has reacted very positively to our approach.”
We came here to work as a mediator between the two sides, he said.
Meanwhile PML-Z leader expressed his hope for initiation of talks.
Never dismissed option for talks: Qadri
PHOTO BY AGENCIES
Tahirul Qadri addressed the PAT sit-in outside the parliament.
He said that he had never rejected the option for talks while maintaining that Haider Abbas Rizvi and Ijazul Haq were witnesses of that.
He said that no one had approached him to hold talks.
The PAT chief added that he regards the Parliament as a sacred institution but he does not agree with those who are invovled in state terrorism in the name of democracy.
He rubbished the charges of being involved in derailing democracy through his movement, adding that those abusing their power are the ones derailing democracy.
Referring to the Model Town Incident in which 14 PAT workers were killed in clashes with police, Qadri asked PML-N leaders what they would have done if their loved ones were harmed.
The Sharif brothers ”would have employed the services of thugs and murderers” to take revenge if an FIR was not registered, he said.
He called for the registration of cases on murder charges against PM, CM Shehbaz as per the court orders.
He said that his party and its supporters were peaceloving people and would continue with their protest.
He, however, directed his supporters to not to resort to violence or confront the security forces/
“Stay peaceful, democratic and lawful, he said while adding to direct them not to enter the Pakistan Secretariat premises.
Nisar, Shehbaz meet with COAS
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif met with COAS General Raheel Sharif o to discuss the security situation in Islamabad in light of the sit-in by PAT and PTI in front of the Parliament.
MQM, JI, Ijazul Haqmove to end deadlock
Leader of Mutahidda Qaumi Movement, Haider Abbas Rizvi and PML (Ziaul Haq) leader Ijazul Haq arrived in Islamabad to meet with Dr Tahirul Qadri in an attempt to end the political deadlock between PTI and PAT.
“We want to bridge the gap between the government and those staging protests, he said.
He added that he came to Islambad on directions of MQM chief Altaf Hussain.
Meanwhile, JI Chief Sirajul Haq is also on his way to take part in the dialogue process.
Khan tweets
I want all Pakistanis 2 get here breaking all barriers. Warning police 2 release r ppl or v will punish them 4 unlawfully detaining r ppl
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 20, 2014
Tonite we will celebrate Azadi at D Chowk
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 20, 2014
PML-N leaders not to accept demand of PM’s resignation
Top leadership of PML-N, on conclusion of its meeting on summon of PM Sharif, termed the demand for the prime minister’s resignation “unconstitutional.”
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, speaking to media, said that the PM will not hand in his resignation on demand of a few thousand people.
He added that the government is willing to solve the issue peacefully and constitutionally.
PM House’s security beefed up
Security around the Prime Minister House was beefed up as PAT workers started to gather outside the official residence of the premier, a private news channel reported.
Heavy deployment of security personnel was made outside the PM house while aerial surveillance of the red zone is also being done, adds the report.
MNAs critical of Imran,Qadri
Chairman Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Mehmood Khan Achakzai, speaking on a Point of Order in the National Assembly, strongly criticized Imran Khan and Dr. Qadri adding that People’s Parliament of PAT was unconstitutional and has no legal or moral authority.
He said that the followers of Tahirul Qadri may have been in thousands but Parliament represents millions of Pakistanis.
“Political parties should hold demonstrations from Karachi to Peshawar and from Lahore to Quetta for the supremacy of the Parliament”, he said.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Shazia Marri, speaking in NA, said that the anti-democratic elements would not be tolerated while adding that the remnants of dictatorship want to derail democracy.
Qadri lays siege of Parliament
PAT chief Dr. Tahirul Qadri adressed the crowd on Thursday afternoon, directing it to lay a siege of the Parliament where PM Sharrf was attending a National Assembly session.
“Don’t let anybody go inside or come outside of the Parliament,” he said adding that the PAT workers will not be confronting any Pak Army soldier.
Following their leader’s command, PAT workers blocked the the main cabinet division gate.
PM summons party lieutenants
PM Sharif summoned his party stalwarts, including Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Chaudhry Nisar, Saad Rafique, Pervaiz Rashid and Khawaja Asif to review opposition’s demands and government’s options to deal with protestors.
Saad denies tweet
A twitter account, apparently belonging to Federal Minister Saad Rafique tweeted Wednesday morning that PM Nawaz will be meeting with PTI chief Imran Khan “for the sake of the country”.
The tweet made headlines on electronic and digital media until Rafique personally denied making any such statement on the microblogging site, adding that he did not have an account on Twitter.
Protestors camp at Red Zone
Ten of thousands of PTI and PAT protestors camped at Red Zone, paralyzing state affairs in the federal capital, a private news channel reported.
Traffic remained suspended in the Red Zone while roads leading to key government offices remained closed.
Good Morning Islamabad #AzadiMarchPTI pic.twitter.com/FuvFizisIR
— Masum Siddiqui (@MasumSiddiqui) August 20, 2014