PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Peshawar chapter on Monday announced its 50,000 workers would participate in the party’s ‘Azadi March’ on Islamabad against the federal government and warned the Punjab government against stopping them.

The announcement was made by PTI Peshawar district president and MPA Yaseen Khalil during a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club.

Khalil was accompanied by MPAs Haji Fazl Ilahi and Arif Yousaf and PTI office-bearers from Peshawar’s four towns and 92 union councils and wards.

The PTI district president said workers from all four towns of Peshawar had expressed the willingness to join their chairman, Imran Khan, during the party’s show on the Independence Day in Islamabad against rigging in the last general elections.“We will end monarchy of Sharifs on Aug 14. Democracy and monarchy will not go side by side,” he said.

Khalil denied the PTI long march was an attempt to derail democracy in the country and insisted the federal and Punjab governments were not elected democratically as the elections were rigged.

He said the ‘Azadi March’ won’t harm democracy.

“Preparations are underway to ensure that workers participate in the ‘Azadi March’ on Aug 14 in large numbers. Caravans of workers and youths will leave for Islamabad from the Main Chowk near the motorway on Aug 14,” he said, adding that the party had planned to hold a convention in the city on Aug 10.

He said the convention would be addressed by provincial Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, PTI provincial president Azam Swati, and central leaders. The PTI district president said around 3,000 Insaf Razakars (volunteers) would be deputed at the event for the security of participants of the long march.

MPA Fazl Ilahi warned that if any undemocratic or unethical step was taken by the Punjab government during the peaceful march, then PTI workers would put up a strong resistance.

“We will cross all hurdles erected by the government of Punjab to reach the D Chowk in Islamabad on August 14 as we don’t recognise the federal government, which came into being after the poll rigging,” he said. When asked about the PTI members resigning from assemblies, Khalil said lawmakers of the party would act in line with the directions of the leadership.

He, however, said the party had so far not asked its legislators to tender resignations.

The PTI district president criticised the centre for being unfair towards the province and denying due rights to it.

He said the rates of unemployment and inflation were escalating due to the federal government’s wrong economic policies.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2014