Khan to march to Parliament, army to protect 'Red Zone'

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Press Trust of India Islamabad
Last Updated : Aug 19 2014 | 7:35 PM IST
Pakistan's opposition leader Imran Khan today asked his supporters to march to the heavily- guarded 'Red Zone' here to force Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's resignation, prompting authorities to hand over the security of the sensitive area to the army as fears of violence gripped the coup-prone country.
Khan and Canada-based firebrand cleric Tahir-ul Qadri have been protesting for the last six days against alleged rigging in the 2013 elections, putting the PML-N-led government on the backfoot.
"Today InshaAllah r peaceful non-violent Azadi March will move on 2 Constitution Ave.I will lead the March myself. Defining moment 4 Pakistan," Khan tweeted.
"Our Azadi March is constitutional & democratic," the cricketer-turned-politician, who spent the night in a shipping container at the site of the sit-in, said.
The government has so far forbidden protesters from breaching the Red Zone housing key state buildings like Supreme Court of Pakistan, Parliament House, the President and the Prime Minister's residences and other important buildings including embassies of various countries.
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First Published: Aug 19 2014 | 7:35 PM IST

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