LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan gave a final call on Monday to workers of his party and the masses to get ready for the Aug 14 ‘Azadi march’ and hinted that the army and police would not put up any resistance on behalf of the Sharifs.

Mr Khan arrived at the Lahore airport where he was received and later escorted to his Zaman Park residence by a caravan of highly charged workers and youths.

Addressing the workers gathered at his residence, Mr Khan said the march would be held as scheduled and the army would not create hurdles because it was not against the people of Pakistan.

Police also would not stop the protesters, he said.

The PTI chief said that neither containers nor any other hurdle would be able to block the march.

He told party workers that on their way to Islamabad they should mete out deserving treatment to all ‘Gullu Butts’.

He asserted that the march would end “monarchy” and create a “new Pakistan”.

He said people had decided to remove Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif because of their fake and stolen mandate.

Asking PTI workers to stay there and join him in the long march, Mr Khan called upon his supporters to collect foodstuff for use during the march and sit-in in Islamabad. He said water would be available in abundance.

“I will eat what you will eat and sleep with you on the road,” Mr Khan said

Later, Jamaat-i-Islami emir Sirajul Haq met Mr Khan at his residence.

He told reporters that the PTI chief had assured him that the march would be peaceful and its participants would not take the law into their own hands.

He quoted Mr Khan as saying that last year’s general elections had been heavily rigged and he had evidence to support his allegations.

Mr Haq said the Jamaat-i-Islami was also against rigging and was of the opinion that peaceful protests should be held.

He said the containers placed on roads must be removed because they caused serious inconvenience to people. Referring to the chief minister’s apology to people for the inconvenience, Mr Haq said he should abide by his words and order removal of the containers.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2014