PESHAWAR: Tens of thousands of workers of opposition parties and students of seminaries set out for Islamabad from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to take part in Azadi March.

Leader of Opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Akram Khan Durrani, who has affiliation with JUI-F, Awami National Party central president Asfandyar Wali Khan, Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz provincial president Amir Muqam and Pakistan Peoples Party provincial president Humayun Khan led separate processions of workers of their parties towards Islamabad.

Asfandyar Wali Khan departed for Islamabad from Rashakai Interchange. Senior leaders and thousands of workers of ANP from Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi and Peshawar carrying party’s flags joined their leader on motorway.

The marchers, travelling in cars, buses, coaches and trucks, and riding motorbikes, reached Peshawar from all parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and left for Islamabad via motorway and Grand Trunk Road.

JUI-F spokesman Abdul Jalil Jan said that over 10,000 vehicles from different districts, carrying marchers, were on way to Islamabad.

JUI-F leader puts number of marchers from KP at half million

Intelligence agencies’ reports suggested that number of marchers was from 25,000 to 30,000. A senior official, however, said that more people were joining the cavalcades and the number of marchers would swell further.

Senior leader of JUI-F Haji Ghulam Ali brushed aside estimates of the intelligence agencies and put the number of participants from KP at more than half a million. “The length of the main procession on M-1 is 25 kilometres,” he said.

Like political workers, students of seminaries also proceeded to Islamabad. JUI-F workers and students of seminaries were carrying dry fruits and sleeping bags which indicated that Maulana Fazlur Rehman has planned to prolong his protest in Islamabad. JUI-F leaders said that seminaries had not been closed for the march.

“We are going to Islamabad with full preparation and might stay there for weeks,” said Ameen Rehman, a student of seminary. He said that he along with colleagues was going to Islamabad without permission of his teachers.

The workers of JUI-F and ANP were looking very charged and enthusiastic. The ANP workers played nationalist songs, while the JUI-F workers played party songs.

PPP had set up a camp opposite the JUI-F provincial headquarters to facilitate its workers. Initially, it was planned that processions would be taken to Islamabad via GT Road. The plan was changed due to rush and congestion.

Akram Khan Durrani, leading a vehicular procession comprising over 700 vehicles, reached Peshawar from Bannu, his hometown. He led cavalcade on motorway. Thousands of workers of JUI-F from tribal districts including South and North Waziristan were among the marchers.

From Shangla, the workers of JUI-F, ANP, PML-N and PPP left for Islamabad to take part in Azadi March. They gathered at various exit points of the district. The people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Kohistan also staged a protest in Dandai against blocking of Dandai and Thakoot bridges with containers.

The protesters chanted slogans against the government and prime minister, however, after holding negotiations with the administration, one bridge was reopened to them.

From Lakki Marwat, a huge vehicular procession of JUI-F left for Islamabad via Peshawar on Thursday morning to take part in Azadi March. Activists from different towns and villages gathered near Kurrum Bridge from where JUI-F district chief Maulana Abdul Rahim led the procession.

The workers also chanted slogans against the government.

From Karak, the marchers left for Peshawar after they were joined by the participants of rallies from Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Lakki Marwat.

Addressing on the occasion, Akram Durrani said that their protest would continue till acceptance of their demands. He asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to step down.

He said that Imran Khan became prime minister with fake mandate. He recalled that he had once said that if 500 people protested against him he would resign.

From Battagram, the worker of JUI-F, PML-N, PPP and ANP departed in a large number to take part in Azadi March.

From Bajaur tribal district, a convoy of hundreds of vehicles carrying activists of JUI-F, ANP and PML-N left for Islamabad to take part in the march.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2019