Pakistan: Demanding PM Imran Khan’s Resignation, Opposition’s ‘Azadi March’ Set To Reach Islamabad On Thursday

Anti-government 'azadi' march, the massive country-wide protest by Pakistan's opposition parties against Prime Minister Imran Khan, will reach the country's capital, Islamabad, on Thursday (31 October), reports said.

Thousands of protesters in Pakistan were marching to Islamabad, calling on Prime Minister Imran Khan to resign over the weak economy and corruption claims.

Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-F (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the country was united in their demand for the PM's resignation. Addressing the marchers at Lahore's Yateem Khana Chowk, Rehman said that Pakistanis, from Karachi to Islamabad, were in agreement that Imran Khan should resign.

He said the premier still had time to "respectfully" submit his resignation, adding that Pakistanis now won't give him further time to do so.

Rattled by the extensive public support to the 'azadi march', Imran Khan has said the government would not create any hurdles in the march as long as its participants followed law, but warned them of strict action if agreement signed with his negotiation team was violated.

"We will not create hurdles if the march remains peaceful and within the legal boundaries. Strict action will be taken if the agreement is violated," the Pakistani Prime Minister was quoted as saying.

Rehman had announced in June that his party had decided to hold an anti-government long march to Islamabad in the month of October in a bid to topple the government, which he said had come to power through "fake" elections.

(With inputs from IANS)