Pakistan's former prime minister gave a 'final call' for protests against the government to restore the people's stolen mandate and repeal the 26th amendment to the country's constitution. Responding to his call, thousands of supporters from different parts of the country left for the capital Islamabad on Sunday. However, even though they could not reach the capital that day, they started the journey again on Monday.
The convoy of supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) slowly started towards Islamabad after last night's break, according to the report of Pakistani media The Dawn. One of these convoys is headed by Ali Amin Gandapur, Chief Minister of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
As shared on PTI's official X handle on Monday morning, it is said that Gandapur is ready to start the journey again with his convoy. PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai told The Dawn at Burhan Junction that the convoys were headed towards Islamabad. However, its speed is very slow due to the large size of the fleet and the massive obstruction on the roads.
Yousafzai also said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur wants to reach D-Choke (an area of Islamabad) peacefully but at any cost. At this time, he claimed, 'The police retreated after seeing the large gathering.'
The scheduled time for the anti-government rally called by Imran Khan was yesterday, November 24. PTI leaders, however, said they were in no rush to take part in their 'life-and-death' protest. Because PTI workers have faced nationwide arrests, caning and tear gas while participating in these rallies. But still they participated in this movement.
Earlier, the Islamabad High Court last week declared the PTI-planned protest rally illegal and directed the central government to take all necessary measures to maintain law and order in Islamabad. Because the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, is coming to Islamabad today on a 3-day official visit.
Majority of PTI supporters hail from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. They were staying far away from Islamabad till Sunday night. PTI and police officials estimate that the convoy from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will reach Islamabad by Tuesday or Wednesday.
Meanwhile, PTI leaders in Punjab and Islamabad have failed to field workers effectively. Because the police quickly created massive barriers to their gatherings. Police personnel used batons and tear gas. A large number of PTI workers were arrested from several cities.
PTI leader Asad Qaiser told The Dawn, 'The nationwide protest convoys will take several days to reach Islamabad.' He claimed, 'The length of the procession coming from Peshawar towards Islamabad is 14 km. He further said, 'The same number of people are coming from DI Khan, Abbottabad, Balochistan and other areas. We have given instructions, we will not rush, our destination is Islamabad, but we may take a day or two to reach there and we will keep the government on edge.'
PTI founder Imran Khan's wife Bushra BBO took part in a convoy from Peshawar. In a brief address near Swabi Junction, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister urged the Gandapur workers to use all their strength to remove the hurdles to reach their destination.
