PTI builds momentum for Azadi March as govt questions motive | The Express Tribune

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairperson Imran Khan continues to build momentum for the party’s upcoming ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’ to the federal capital as Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb accused the former premier of “playing with the country’s national security”.

Commenting on Imran’s plans in a series of tweets on Wednesday, the information minister called the PTI chief a “foreign agent and constitutional violator” and questioned his motive for marching onto the capital.

“How long will they continue to play this hideous and serious game with national interests? Instead of helping flood victims, they are prepping for a long march”, she added.

Marriyum, in her tweet, accused Imran several times, echoing her question of
“What is he coming to do in the capital” after each allegation.

The minister also claimed that the PTI chairman had “destroyed the country’s economy”, took a “historic loan of Rs20 thousand billion” and was a “foreign agent” working to bankrupt the nation. She further alleged that the ousted prime minister had caused the unemployment of 9.5 million people, broken parliament, threatened the judiciary and judges, slandered state institutions and dragged them into politics.

Marriyum demanded that Imran respond to her allegations before announcing his long march.

‘Only solution’

Talking to the media outside the Supreme Court, Marriyum’s predecessor PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, maintained the only solution to the country’s afflictions was the party’s long march.

Read PTI’s much-awaited long march likely in October

According to the former minister, “two to two and a half million people” would “target Islamabad” in support of Imran’s call.

“The government won’t have room to escape,” Chaudhry claimed, asking the coalition government to “reflect on its activities” before it was “too late”.

March preparations

On Tuesday, Imran Khan took oaths from party members, ensuring that they pledged to support the ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’ (real freedom march) despite all odds. During his day-long visit to Peshawar, Imran met the party’s provincial and National Assembly members at the Chief Minister’s House.

“We will consider the party’s movement for real independence as jihad and will render all kinds of sacrifices for the cause … we will uphold the constitution and protect it,” PTI members repeated after the former governor of K-P Shah Farman who read out the oath next to Imran. PTI leaders Parvez Khattak, Ali Amin Gandapur and others were present on stage.

The PTI chief linked the allocation of party tickets for the next general elections to the performance of party workers, particularly in the party’s upcoming long march.

Party sources told The Express Tribune that the PTI chief assigned the responsibilities to the party lawmakers for the upcoming long march.

Each lawmaker was directed to bring at least 1,000 people from their respective constituency to participate in the long march, they added. Moreover, the lawmakers were to bear the cost of food and drinks for workers participating in the protest rally.

The party chief on Monday had indicated that PTI’s long march might be taking place in the third week of this month.