PTI’s long march sets off despite government ban 

Islamabad: The federal capital is bracing itself for major political activity as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Wednesday began its ‘Azadi March’ towards Islamabad, amid blockades and crackdown against party workers across the country. 

Pakistan’s government has banned the planned protest march by ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is demanding fresh elections as political and economic crises deepen in the country. 

The ban was announced Tuesday by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah at a news briefing hours after a policeman was shot and killed during a crackdown on Khan’s supporters. 

As per reports, the PTI chairman will reach Swabi by helicopter from Peshawar, leading the procession from Ambar Interchange. 

Imran Khan has announced that he would welcome party activists at Islamabad’s Srinagar Highway at 3pm and would lead the march from KP to Islamabad. 

In the meantime, the government has closed several roads leading to Islamabad from various Punjab cities and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province in an apparent attempt to hinder the march. 

Local authorities in Islamabad had started putting up blockades at roads leading to important installations and heavy contingents from police and paramilitary troops have also been deployed. 

Large shipping containers were placed on a key road leading to the parliament building in Islamabad, to prevent Khan’s supporters from getting close and possibly staging a sit-in there. 

Many entry and exit points around the city of Lahore were also blocked.  

The blockade caused a massive traffic jam as the old Ravi Bridge has already been closed for heavy traffic.

It is pertinent to mention here that Section 144 was imposed in Lahore, the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and Karachi, as well as other major cities in the country. 

Moreover, while the Punjab government sought the deployment of Rangers to control the law and order situation.