Protesters reach PM’s Secretariat, Khan says will move to PM’s House tomorrow

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Azadi March participants led by Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek workers led by Dr Tahirul Qadri have reached Prime Minister’s Secretariat, as Khan told his supporters that they would move toward Prime Minister’s House tomorrow 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.

Addressing his supporters before flagging off the march toward Red Zone, Imran Khan asked his supporters to make three promises to him.

“Promise me you will be peaceful. Promise me you will take revenge from Nawaz Sharif if something happens to me and finally, promise me you will damage any government building,” Khan said, preparing his followers, which also includes a large number of women and children.

He promised that his supporters won’t “even look at the Diplomatic Enclave”, telling his supporters that no harm should be inflicted on “our foreign guests”.

Khan also called on the police personnel deployed for protection of the Red Zone not to stop the marchers, saying they were doing anything illegal and it was their constitutional right to go anywhere in Islamabad.

“No harm should come to my supporters,” he warned the police personnel.

Fearing any untoward incident taking place if the PTI or PAT participants enter the Red Zone, 10 Corps Commander Lieutenant General Qamar Bajwa is in direct contact with top officials of the Islamabad Police for coordination to ensure security of key government installations located on Constitution Avenue.

The troops were deployed in the federal capital under Article 245 of the Constitution. The government had taken this controversial measure for securing Islamabad amid the spectre of a political showdown. The army is however not bound to act in aid of the Islamabad police in the enforcement of this section unless Chief Commissioner Islamabad orders them to do so.

In an earlier report, sources put the number of troops stationed in the capital for security duties at about 350. But the city administration had told reporters that over 500 soldiers had been deployed.

The government has previously said protesters are not allowed to enter the area. It is flooded with riot police and paramilitary forces and cordoned off with shipping containers and barbed wire.

Earlier in the evening, PAT Chief Tahirul Qadri had also announced to move his sit-in in front of Parliament House, in the Red Zone. His ‘Inqilab March’ is yet to march toward the announced venue, where the PTI marchers are also intending to camp.