Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan vows to continue the anti-government long march dubbed ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’ towards D Chowk in Islamabad despite road blockades, restrictions, and arrests of PTI workers by the PMLN-led government.
Latest updates:
2:00 am – Government deploys army in red zone
As Imran Khan’s Azadi March inches closer to D Chowk, the federal government, exercising powers conferred under Article 245, deployed Army troops in the Red Zone to control the charged PTI members and supporters.
12:00 am (May 26) – Azadi March enters Islamabad
The rally reached the Islamabad-Peshawar motorway interchange at 12 midnight. Hundreds of vehicles were accompanying Imran Khan as the rally entered Islamabad. The official Instagram account of Imran Khan shared a video showing rally crossing the toll plaza.
6:40 pm – Supreme Court orders government to release arrested PTI members
The top court has ordered the government to release arrested PTI members, clear all the roads, and stop raiding PTI members’ offices and homes and arresting protesters. Release goods transport containers in 48 hours, SC ordered interior ministry.
6:00 pm – Azadi March crossed Attock Bridge, enters Punjab
The IK-led Azadi March entered Punjab after crossing the Attock Bridge on M-1 Motorway. The Punjab government had blocked the bridge connecting KPK and Punjab province by placing shipping containers on the road.
5:00 pm – Supreme Court allows PTI to hold rally at H-9 Ground
The top court, while hearing a petition against the closure of roads and raids on PTI workers, allowed PTI to hold a Jalsa in H-9. Imran Khan had initially announced to hold a sit-in at the D-Chowk, but after Supreme Court asked the government and PTI to decide on an alternate venue for the long march, PTI said it wants to hold the rally on H-9 Ground.
3:43 pm – Khan denies reports of agreement with Govt
Imran Khan has refuted media reports claiming that the government and PTI have reached an agreement. Khan called the reports of the deal “rumours and deliberate disinformation” and clarified that his caravan is “moving towards Islamabad” and that there was “no question of any deal.”
1:50 pm – Imran Khan begins march from Wali Interchange
Imran Khan started the Azadi March today on container once again from Wali Interchange of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to D-chowk Islamabad, in front of the Parliament amid all-time high political tensions across the country with several clashes between police and the PTI protestors.
After reaching Swabi by helicopter, Khan, holding a Pakistan flag, delivered a speech to marchers in which he said that “we are going to D-Chowk and no one can stop us” as the crowd cheered. Imran Khan urged the participants of rally as well to carry Pakistani flags.
Tension in Punjab increased after police arrested several protestors in Lahore and made use of tear gas while the activists attempted to remove the containers blocking their way to Islamabad.
Media footage showed police attempting to arrest Hammad Azhar in Lahore while Dr. Yasmin Rashid’s car was attacked by the police at Batti Chowk after she had a heated argument with policemen deployed to block the party workers from leaving the city.