PTI caravans converge on garrison city for power-show | The Express Tribune

Convoys of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, workers and supporters are making their way to Rawalpindi on Saturday for the ‘climax’ of the Haqeeqi Azadi march, where party chief Imran Khan is set to appear despite his injuries.

PTI Secretary General Asad Umar announced that several convoys from all over Pakistan had reached the garrison city, while other groups were making their way to the location.

He maintained that the gathering would be “historic”.

PTI Senator Faisal Javed arrived on stage at the venue and stated that “kaptaan” Imran Khan would announce if the rally would sit at the assigned location or march forward.

“The Haqeeqi Azadi march has entered a decisive phase today,” he said.

Prior to the march, former interior minister Sheikh Rashid addressed crowds outside Lal Haveli in his hometown Rawalpindi and hoped to rid Pakistan of “thieves, robbers and looters who captured the country”. 

He compared the people supporting Imran to those who stood with Fatima Jinnah against military leader Ayub Khan while he was “backed by several politicians”.

Rashid stated that he would depart from his residence at 1:30 pm to receive Imran Khan from the helicopter at the rally venue. 

Rashid warned current Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah that his “political grave” would be dug if any harm came to Imran.

“Imran Khan is our guest and Pindi is a loyal city. If any wrong is committed against our guest, we will dig your political grave,” Rashid said. 

PTI  leader Fawad Chaudhry said a “sea of people” was moving towards Rawalpindi and “millions” would gather there to support the demand for new elections.

He maintained that the incumbent government should submit to the decision of the people and announce new elections. 

“Stability in Pakistan depends on general elections and that economic stability was connected with political stability”.

PTI Sindh President Ali Haider Zaidi said that the incumbent “imported government” was “dearly and sadly mistaken” if they believed that containers on the rally routes would stop the “junoon” (passion) the nation had for “Haqeeqi Azadi”.

 “Let there be no doubt about this in anyone’s mind!”

Security arrangements at venue

The district commissioner of Rawalpindi reviewed the security arrangements at the venue and the rally stage along with other officials.

PTI Chairperson Imran Khan will be seated behind a bulletproof glass shield and will address the rally from a bulletproof dais.

A distance of around half a kilometre will be kept between Imran and the rally participants. In order to facilitate the crowd, large screens have also been placed around the venue. However, women participants will be allowed to gather 50 feet away from the stage.

Additional containers will be placed on both sides of the stage and will be used for security arrangements.

Convoys converge on Rawalpindi

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, PTI workers left for the rally from the Peshawar Motorway Toll Plaza, with people from Khyber and Mohmand also present.

A convoy led by PTI K-P president Pervez Khattak and former governor Shah Farman reached the Charsada Toll Plaza and began moving towards Nowshera.

PTI leader Hammad Azhar is leading a group to Rawalpindi from the Chanda fort in Gujranwala.

Humayun Akhtar Khan is leading caravans from Lahore, while a “grand caravan” led by member of the Punjab Assembly Ifthikhar Ali Mashwani departed from Ring Road towards the garrison city.

Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas is leading a convoy from Garden Town Lahore. A video on the PTI’s official Twitter handle shows vehicles with attached flags and Raas emerging from his vehicle’s sunroof.

Chief Minister of Gilgit Baltistan Khalid Khurshid Khan’s convoy entered Rawalpindi earlier in the day.

The PTI supporters who reached the venue were served breakfast, with the food provided by the party leadership.

Sheikh Rashid also took to his official Twitter handle to state that there will be a “sea of people and a referendum” in Rawalpindi.

“The people will be in favour of elections and getting rid of the incumbent government. The PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) is running away from elections,” he said, adding that the destruction of the economy was a threat to national security.

He said that he will leave his Lal Haveli residence along with Rashid Shafiq to participate in the “real freedom march”.

PTI to hold rally amid security threats

The PTI on Friday was allowed by the Rawalpindi administration on a 56-point permit to stage its sit-in near Faizabad on Saturday (today), despite the looming security threats.

Separately, PTI leader Asad Umar claimed that attempts were being made to disrupt the party’s “peaceful” rally in Rawalpindi and the life of party chairman and deposed premier Imran Khan was in danger as the Islamabad administration was not allowing him to reach the venue in a helicopter.

The Rawalpindi administration issued a notification that read that the England cricket team would soon arrive in Rawalpindi, therefore the venue should be completely vacated after the rally was over.

Orders had been issued to the Rawalpindi police to take all necessary security measures for the rally, it added.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday declared that the matters of PTI landing a helicopter before the procession and the passing of the rally were to be decided by the deputy commissioner (DC) of Rawalpindi.

In a four-page written decision, IHC Chief Justice Amir Farooq stated that the court could not give instructions to the Islamabad administration.

The decision maintained that according to the law, the DC was the competent authority in this regard, and the high court could not direct him to issue a permit.

It stated that the PTI lawyer could not satisfy the court.

The decision furthered that the court expected the DC to decide on the PTI application in accordance with the law.