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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan said on Tuesday night that he would take over the heavily guarded Prime Minister House if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not resign by this evening (Wednesday). "Neither the police nor army can stop the junoon of PTI workers," Imran said after reaching in front of Prime Minister House, along with thousands of his belligerent protesters, removing all the shipping containers placed to block the entry into the red zone on Tuesday night, extending the sit-in from Kashmir highway to the Prime Minister's House.

-- Islamabad falls to Imran-Qadri duo after PTI, PAT successfully overcome 'Red Zone' challenge and ultimately land on Constitution Avenue

-- Imran threatens to take over PM's House tonight if PM does not step down

-- Government on fearful, ignominious retreat

-- Policy paralysis leads to virtual government paralysis

Earlier, addressing his supporters before flagging off a march toward capital's 'red zone', which was followed by a march of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri and his followers, Imran asked his supporters to make three pledges to him. "Promise that you will remain peaceful; that you will take revenge from Nawaz Sharif if something happens to me and finally, promise me that you will not damage any government property," Khan asked his workers.

Imran pledged that his supporters would not even look towards the diplomatic enclave, repeatedly asking his supporters that no harm should be inflicted on 'our foreign guests'. He also called on the police personnel deployed on the 'red zone' not to stop the marchers, saying they were not doing anything illegal and it was their constitutional right to go anywhere in Islamabad to register their protest.

"Listen to me, you [police] must not harm my supporters," he warned thousands of policemen standing around to stop the marchers from crossing over 'red zone' red line. The PTI women, who were in the forefront, pelting policemen with rose petals with a view to neutralising them.

Using cranes, a charged crowed successfully removed shipping containers put in place to seal the roads leading to the Parliament House situated inside the 'red-zone' which also houses President's and Prime Minister houses, Supreme Court as well as the diplomatic enclave. "They want blood. They want dead bodies. That's their politics," Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid cautioned. "If any untoward incident happened, the protesters will be held responsible," he said, adding the government would not interfere if the protesters remained peaceful.

Imran had warned earlier on Monday that he would storm the 'red zone' if prime minister did not resign. Imran decided to lead the rally after the deadline expired at 6pm, which was followed by Qadri's for the 'Red Zone'. Before leaving the sit-in venue on Kashmir Highway, Imran warned that he would turn the Constitution Avenue into a 'Tehrir Square'.

Dr Tahirul Qadri also called upon his followers to be careful of 'Gullu Butts' who, he claimed, has joined the rally for creating disturbance. The interior minister earlier said he would not allow protesters to enter the 'red zone', though protesters met no immediate resistance late Tuesday night and had a sigh of relief by reaching in front of prime minister.

"Would you like to move in front of Parliament House?" Qadri asked the charged crowd and heard a loud 'yes' in response. "You want formation of a national government and green revolution?" he asked. "Yes", the crowd shouted. "Do you want extremely transparent accountability of public office bearers who are involved in corruption? Do you want the twelve-point agenda for alleviation of poverty? Do you want reforms package as I already mentioned?" he asked and heard a loud 'yes' in response to his questions from the crowd.

His followers said they don't believe in the current regime. The crowd also shouted 'no' to terrorism, extremism, sectarianism, and to corruption. "People's parliament has given their decisions. All of us surrender in front of the judgement given by this parliament. Are we unanimous on this resolution or divided? Raise your hand," he asked and received a positive response.

"The decisions have been made by the people's parliament and are now being announced. The 'Inqilab March's' sit-in will now move in front of the Parliament House on the Constitutional Avenue." Urging the marchers to remain peaceful while moving in front of the Parliament House, he said: "I command you and order you that the sit-in in front of the Parliament House will be peaceful."

"Constitution allows you to go and sit-in wherever you want as long as there's no violence...promise me you'll be peaceful, no violence, no breech of law. We have always remained peaceful and will continue to do so. Don't move until permitted," he said while directing the crowd.

Qadri said that many political parties, including the PML-N, have previously staged protests in front of the parliament. He said PAT too staged peaceful protests in the past. "We also have the same right to sit there and protest peacefully," he said. "PTI also protested and demonstrated in front of the Election Commission in 2013; they were allowed to do so, we have the same right to do so."

Qadri said the previous government led by Pakistan People's Party (PPP) had allowed them to stage a sit-in on the Constitutional Avenue. "If you remain peaceful, there's no constitutional obstacle in your way," Qadri told his crowd. "When all of these protests have taken place in front of the Parliament House and when a written law of the land doesn't prohibit it then every citizen has the right to protest peacefully there."

Urging the crowd to refrain from violence, Qadri said "we want peace and discipline; no one is to move without permission." "We're peaceful people and my 600-page fatwa is to save lives. We are the protectors of human lives," he added. The PAT chief insisted that "the Sharif brothers have become murderers, violent and terrorists and thus have no right to remain in power." Qadri told by marchers that they must not approach or even walk in front of embassies, diplomatic buildings and Supreme Court.

He told the government that PAT marchers have no intention of committing any act of violence. "We want to tell the government that we have no intention of violence...this is the categorical declaration," he said. "Every individual participating in this march is peaceful and will remain peaceful. I urge the government to let the marchers camp in front of the parliament house." Holding out a personal guarantee, he said "I am giving you my personal guarantee that every participant of 'Inqilab March' will remain peaceful".

Copyright Business Recorder, 2014


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