Thousands of protesters under the rallying banner of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and other opposition parties have converged on the federal capital, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan along with fresh elections.
Opposition leaders delivered fiery speeches against the PTI government which they term ‘fake and selected’ and eventually gave the prime minister a two-day ultimatum to resign. A reluctant Shehbaz Sharif was also present, declaring that Imran Khan ‘politics of containers’ is being buried by the opposition and the time has come to get rid of the government.
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also made a surprise appearance, as he was expected to stay away. He received flak for failing to show his disapproval when the JUI-F chief used the religion card for political purposes. PM Imran Khan responded that Bilawal’s presence at the rally shows that the only thing liberal about him is that he is ‘liberally corrupt’.
Now Fazlur Rehman is adamant that they will receive the prime minister’s resignation. He has threatened to enter the PM House with his charged protesters to arrest the prime minister. Earlier the government had signed an agreement with the opposition, restricting them from entering the sensitive Red Zone. However, the administration seemed worried as the marchers are just miles away and at risk of not adhering to the agreement.
The JUI-F chief has stated that he doesn’t want a clash with the institutions of the country and desires to see them as impartial. The statement received a sharp response from DG ISPR who questioned which institution the opposition was referring to at the rally.
The military spokesman said that taking to the streets and throwing blame won’t solve problems and the opposition should approach relevant institutions to address their reservations. He cautioned against involving the army into politics maintaining they support fora democratically elected government.
The Azadi March protesters seemed to be in direct confrontation with state institutions. JUI-F chief has said the ISPR chief should not involve himself in politics. There could be further chaos if the protesters turn violent or clash with the institutions. Pakistan’s politics remains uncertain and any unconstitutional steps should be strongly resisted.
The government is adamant that there will be no discussion on the prime minister’s resignation or holding premature elections. PM Imran Khan has questioned the real motive behind the protest and has refused to surrender, stating that the opposition should not expect any amnesty from him. For the rest of the nation, it seems déjà vu all over again as they await to see how this will play out.
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