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Azadi March/Tezgam Tragedy: Bilawal hints at PPP-P’s joining sit-in

BAHAWALPUR: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman PPP-P has insinuated here today that his party could join the Azadi-March sit-in.

He was talking to Media after visiting the Victoria Hospital where he inquired after the health of the Tezgam Express victims. He called on Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid to resign. 

Maintaining that PPP-P was never a part of any sit-in protest, he stated if the Party’s core committee decided then participation in Dharna could be pondered upon.

Commenting on the statement given by Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman apropos arresting PM Imran Khan from his house, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held: “He simply meant that the emotions of the people were such that they wanted to arrest the prime minister.”

It is pertinent to mention here that PTI-government had announced on Saturday (2nd of November, 2019) that they would approach the court over Fazl-ur-Rehman’s statements, accusing him of instigating the people and rallying them for mutiny.

A relevant piece published earlier: 

Azadi March: Chairman PPP-P Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addresses the rally

ISLAMABAD: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who had addressed the participants of the Azadi March well past midnight, again spoke at 5PM. 

He asked what kind of democracy and liberty was there in the Naya Pakistan where nobody was free? 

He said that despite passage of 70 years Pakistan was not able to hold free and fair elections. He said that during the during the dictatorship of Pervez Musharraf too elections were rigged.

Maintaining that the economic policies of Pakistan were being dictated by IMF, he accused Imran Khan of providing amnesty to his friends while burying the masses under the avalanche of taxes, inflation and rising prices of commodities. 

Insinuating that PTI Government had struck a deal or compromised on the issue of Kashmir, Imran Khan said that no Pakistani would agree to any deal or compromise on the issue of Kashmir. 

He said he was grateful to Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman for organizing the Azadi March providing a platform for Opposition Leaders to address the issues. 

Relevant pieces published earlier: 

Azadi March: Bilawal Bhutto says Pakistanis want to get rid of selected PM

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while addressing the participants of the Azadi March here well past midnight said that he represented the Party that had never bowed down before any tyrant and stood against two dictators.  

Saluting the workers of JUI-F, ANP, PML-N and PPP for marching from all the nooks and corners of Pakistan to Islamabad, he said that people were not ready to accept a selected prime minister who will have to go. He said that the Marchers had delivered the message to PM House as well as Bani Gala that people wanted independence and to get rid of selected. 

He noted that elections were rigged and selected were made to win, peoples democratic rights were being usurped: “Selection is carried out in the elections. Rigging is managed. Polling agents are thrown out of the polling stations. The RTS system is aborted. As a result of the rigging, an inefficient, ineligible and puppet is selected to be the prime minister of this country.”

Bilawal noted  that puppet governments do not come to power by means of popular votes hence they work for their selectors. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said peoples economic assassination was being carried out by means of flood of inflation and tsunami of taxes. He said that due to non-provision of subsidiary farmers’ economic assassination was being carried out similarly by avoiding to increase the pensions economic assassination of elderly was being carried out. 

Azadi March: Rally at Islamabad to be held tomorrow (Friday)

ISLAMABAD: The Azadi March Rally that was supposed to be held today (Thursday 31st of October, 2019) will now be held tomorrow.

According to Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Opposition Parties’ Rahber Committee  had unanimously decided to postpone the today’s event due to the Rahim Yar Khan train tragedy in which 74 passengers lost lives and over 30 got severely burnt. 

The rally will be addressed by senior leaders of the major Opposition Parties. Sources has revealed that Chairman PPP-P Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be arriving here at 8 PM today to address the Party workers. 

It is pertinent to mention here that earlier Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman has made it clear, while addressing the Azadi Marchers at Gujar Khan (before leaving for the Federal Capital): “Let me make it clear to everyone, that this is march and march includes sit-in and rally both”.

Azadi Marchers to enter Islamabad today

ISLAMABAD: Azadi Marchers are all set to enter the Federal Capital today. 

Meanwhile, during a meeting chaired by interior secretary it was decided that  the government would not create any hurdle in the way of JUI-F’s Azadi March. However, it was decided that goverment would not allow anybody to take law in hands. 

Military, Rangers and representatives of other LEAs along with Islamabad administration participated in the huddle. Concerned authorities were directed to make sure that daily life of citizens were not affected. 

A traffic plan to facilitate has also been figured out. The meeting was also informed that Police will be deployed on the first level for security, rangers at second level while Army for the security of sensitive areas. The meeting was told that in case of any provocation administration will react strongly.

Earlier it was decided that all educational institutions would remain closed until situation gets normal.

President Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, while addressing the participants of the Azadi March today at Grand Iqbal Park here said they would send the incumbent government home remaining within the confines of Constitution.

Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman said that movement would continue until the end of this government. There is no other way to bring Pakistan back on the democratic path. The JUI-F  insinuating that Imran Khan was brought to power by means of rigging in the last year’s election, held that he needed to be removed from office so that free and fair elections could be held.

Maulana Fazl pointed out that the protesters were peaceful no one was harmed from Karachi to Lahore. The Azadi Marchers are scheduled to stay put at Gujar Khan tonight in camps before their journey towards Federal Capital where they will converge tomorrow (Thursday 31st of October, 2019) at H-9 Park. 

Imran Khan said that the purpose of the Azadi March was to create political instability. Meanwhile, PTI stalwart Jehangir Tareen said that the Azadi March organizers had received a large amount of money as such ventures could not be carried out without huge funding. He said the goverment knew who was financing the Azadi March.

Azadi March: On 2nd day protesters resume journey from Sukkur

SUKKUR: The anti-government Azadi March that commenced from Karachi on Sunday (27th day of October) resumed its journey from Sukkur today.

President of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman joined the caravan from Larkana. Speaking on the occasion Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman stated that the aim of the March was to strengthen democracy in Pakistan: “The war has begun,” he said. Maulana further asserted that they would not deter. 

Organizers were confident that marchers would be given a warm welcome by all districts that they pass through.  They believe that people from Peshawar, Nowshera and other southern areas will join the caravan. Caravans from Chitral and the adjoining areas will take the Karakoram Highway.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan, on the occasion of the foundation laying ceremony for Baba Guru Nanak University here today said that the purpose of (JUI-F orchestrated Azadi) March was to create hindrance in the implementation of government’s policies which had started delivering positive results. 

He claimed that organizers of March were scared of the successes of the government on the economic front. He said that the protest March was a blackmailing tactic. He said that no NRO would be given to the corrupt elements no matter they hold the march or resort to any other blackmailing.

Islamabad is also bracing for a showdown. All the five central routes leading to the Red Zone here are being sealed by means of freight containers in order to stop participants of the JUI-F orchestrated Azadi March from penetrating into the Red Zone.  

According to details Serena Chowk, Nadra Chowk, Agha Khan Road, PTV Chowk and Margalla Road are being hermetically sealed via containers that are being piled one upon other by using cranes.
https://newspakistan.tv/azadi-march-heads-towards-sukkur-via-hyderabad/
Azadi March heads towards Sukkur via Hyderabad

KARACHI: Azadi March being led by Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman President Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), that commenced its journey from Sohrab Goth at Super Highway (M9) here, is progressing towards Sukkur via Hyderabad.

According to details workers and leaders of PPP-P, PML-N and ANP are also accompanying Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman. Addressing the Marchers, who converged at Sohrab Goth, Maulana stated: “Imran Khan must tender his resignation. We have proven today that the entire nation is united in its wish to see Imran Khan removed from office…

We never accepted the 2018 elections or the government that was formed on the basis of those questionable results.” Fazl-ur-Rehman condemned blocking of the NIC of Hafiz Hamdullah by NADRA and declaring him a confirmed alien.

According to details Marchers will spend the night at Sukkur and will leave for Punjab through Ubauro on Monday (28th October, 2019) morning. Saeed Ghani, Sindh Information and Archives and Labour Minister, has informed that PPP’s Karachi division had made arrangements to welcome the protesters and they would be received by PPP leaders at Jamshoro.

At KP marchers gathered at meeting points in Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Charsadda and Buner. The marchers from Quetta will be reaching Federal Capital voyaging through Loralai-Dera Ghazi Khan route. Marchers will be joining in from Turbat, Gwadar, Chaghi, and Naushki. The marchers are expected to enter Islamabad by 31st day of October.

Azadi March: Fazl-ur-Rehman gives 2 days to Imran Khan to resign

ISLAMABAD: Addressing the participants of Azadi March Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman (who had orchestrated the long walk) said they would make Imran Khan resign within two days. He insinuated that the sea of people could arrest Imran Khan from his residence too. 

He said that the government will have to go as it was the result of rigged election of 2018 and the Opposition never accepted the outcome. He said that Imran Khan has been given two days to resign, if he fails to do so then they will figure out their future strategy. 

Maintaining that all Pakistan converged on a single platform, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman said that the rally represented all the Opposition Parties of Pakistan and not a single entity.  He noted that instead of providing 1 crore jobs they had rendered 25 lakh people unemployed. Instead of building 5 million houses they have demolished that many houses.

JUI-F President said that the corruption had increased during PTI government’s one year. Fazl-ur-Rehman holding that the economy of Pakistan was destroyed due to the inefficiency of PTI-government, Fazl-ur-Rehman reminded that a superpower like USSR too disintegrated due to deterioration of its economy. 

He noted that poor, after a year of PTI government, were now were not able to buy the rations for their families. People were committing suicides, drivers were burning their rickshaws. 

Commenting on the Kashmir Issue Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman said that PTI government’s campaign was limited to social media. He noted that on one hand they were saying that they were against India on the other hand they were extending hand of friendship towards them. He said the present government was even pondering over recognizing Israel. 

News Pakistan

 

 

M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.