-- Independence Day gone but 'Azadi March' limping towards Islamabad • Qadri also allowed to begin his 'revolution' march
-- 'We're going to seek PM's resignation,' Imran reiterates demand
PTI President Javed Hashmi, Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senior Vice President Asad Umar, Secretary General Jehangir Tareen, opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed, President PTI Punjab leadership Ijaz Chaudhry, MNA Shafqat Mahmood, Abdul Aleem Khan, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Yasmin Rashid, Andleeb Abbas and other senior party leaders accompanied him at a specially designed container to facilitate the party leadership on its way to Islamabad.
Awami Muslim League President Sheikh Rasheed also reached Zaman Park to join Imran Khan for the Azadi March. It took Imran some six hours to cover a distance of about three kilometres to reach Chairing Cross from his residence at the Zaman Park. Addressing the crowd, the PTI chief said mandate of the public was snatched by carrying out massive vote rigging in May 2013 general elections. "Which constitution permits anyone to form government by rigging the election?"
Imran said all the "Gullu Butts" would be sent to jail. He said the PTI will only return after a 'New Pakistan' is formed. "I will sacrifice my life but will not let people of Pakistan be enslaved to Sharif brothers and the current political set-up," he added. The PTI chairman reiterated that the protest is the democratic right of PTI. Khan further said the wealth of those governing the country is abroad and vowed to keep his money in Pakistan.
He said the elections of May 11 were no elections by any merit. Instead, he said, it was a fixed match and he is going to Islamabad to nab all the match fixers. No one would ever dare rigging elections after his march on Islamabad, he added. No constitution permits anyone to become prime minister after rigging elections. He said Nawaz Sharif had rigged elections in connivance with the caretaker setup and the Election Commission, which is unconstitutional. "The present rulers have snatched the peoples' mandate," he added.
He said he would give a performance in Islamabad like he has been showing his muscles in Qaddafi Stadium. Only then, he will get back to Lahore, he said. The PTI chief pledged to his supporters that no child of Imran Khan would rule Pakistanis like the children of other rulers. "Imran Khan would neither get involved in business ventures nor take his money abroad after coming into power," he added.
"I would never tell a lie," he said to an emotional crowd and added that his mission is to liberate Pakistan from monarchs and their families. Criticising Nawaz Sharif on his claim of breaking the begging bowl, he said it is only possible if they start paying taxes honestly. "We will not stay in palaces but would lead a simple life and everyone would pay taxes," he added. He said PTI would bring back Rs200 billion of present rulers from foreign banks. He said PTI was going to Islamabad to create a new Pakistan and reinvent the Quaid's Pakistan.
Earlier, Imran kicked off his journey to Islamabad in the middle of the day after addressing a charged gathering of party workers outside his residence. Khan reiterated his demand for resignation of the prime minister and urged the party workers and supporters to follow him on his 'Azadi March' on Islamabad. A large number of party workers had assembled outside his residence early in the morning. Many of them had reached his residence from outside the Lahore city.