Thousands join 'Azadi March' against Imran Khan's govt in Pakistan

The anti-government Azadi March caravan led by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman and joined by other opposition parties in Pakistan will reach Gujranwala city on Wednesday night, a day ahead of its planned culmination in Islamabad.

Videos posted on social media show tens of thousands of people, including the madrasa students and religious party workers marching towards the capital, joined by the convoys of PPP, ANP and other opposition parties. The demonstration is being held in a bid to topple Imran Khan's government

Addressing the crowd at Minar-e-Pakistan today, Rehman noted that no one was harmed during the protests from Karachi to Lahore, adding that the march would "send the rulers packing", reported Geo news.

"Government should resign before we reach Islamabad," he said. "This government does not have any mandate. The mandate can be seen in this march," the JUI-F chief added.

A video posted by journalist Reham Khan shows a flyover packed with protestors, clad in yellow shirt and trousers, carrying sticks and canes, holding opposition party flags, and chanting slogans against the government.

The protest is likely to be one of the biggest in the country, surpassing the numbers of the '2014 dharna' held against the then Pakistani government.

The march, spearheaded by Rehman, kickstarted from Karachi's Sohrab Goth area on October 27 amidst a massive show of strength by the party workers from other opposition parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and Awami National Party (ANP). The purported aim of the march is to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been at the helm for just over a year.