Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has ordered Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak led the convoy to move back to Swabi and continue the march on Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier, on Monday police resorted to firing tear gas with thousands of PTI supporters travelling from Swabi towards Islamabad, where Imran Khan has vowed to stage a million-strong demonstration on November 2.
The clashes took place on the Peshawar-Islamabad motorway, more than 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the capital, as around 5,000 stick-wielding party workers tried to remove barricades put in place by police.
After monitoring the escalating tensions between police and entourage, PTI chief Imran Khan took to the Twitter and directed the minister to retreat to Swabi.
1. Given brutal use of tear gas by Punjab police, I asked Parvez Khattak to retreat to Swabi, regroup, rest, get reinforcements
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 1, 2016
The leader also appreciated the determination of Pervez Khattak and ordered him to resume the campaign in afternoon.
He also expressed resentment over the brutal act of Punjab police for using lethal and expired tear gas.
2. Before resuming mission to get to Bani Gala by afternoon. I salute P Khattak & PTI KP for their courage, resilience & sheer guts.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 1, 2016
On the other hand, hundreds of PTI workers from across the country have been arrested including in the capital, where a ban on protests was invoked last week.
3. They confronted Punjab police’s brutality and use of lethal expired tear gas.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 1, 2016
Authorities in the central province of Punjab have also closed a motorway using shipping containers, as police and paramilitary forces stand guard around the highway.
“One million people will come out in Islamabad day after tomorrow. The whole of Pakistan is watching to see whether this police whose salaries are paid by us are really police or the personal guards of the Sharif family,” Khan said.
Khan’s latest challenge to Sharif’s government is based on leaked documents from the Panama-based Mossack Fonseca law firm that appear to show the prime minister’s daughter and two sons owned offshore holding companies registered in the British Virgin Islands and used them to buy properties in London.
