Pakistan: Religious party announces anti-gov’t protest

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

A major religious political opposition party in Pakistan on Thursday announced to launch an anti-government protest later this month.

Workers of Jamiat Ulema e Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) across the country will begin Azadi March, Freedom March in English, on Oct. 27 towards Islamabad to “topple the illegal government”, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of the party, told reporters in the capital Islamabad.

"Today we have decided to announce our awaited Azadi March which will begin on Oct. 27 and people from across the country will reach Islamabad," Rehman said.

In July, the JUI chief had announced that he would stage an anti-government protest in Islamabad to “topple” the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"The whole country will join us as people are fed up and unable to bear the current price hike and worst condition of economy," Rehman said, adding his party is in contact with traders, lawyers and doctors.

Previously, Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari -- heads of main opposition parties Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), respectively -- also met with Rehman and discussed his planned protest.

“Today I met with Bilawal Bhutto and yesterday I had a meeting with the PML-N leader and some very positive development took place in that meetings," Rehman said.

So far, the PML-N and the PPP have not yet announced to join the protest.

Last year in July, the opposition parties in Pakistan rejected the results of the general elections in the country, terming them “rigged” and “manipulated".

The center-right Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of Imran Khan was emerged as the single largest party of the 2018 election and formed government in the center and two provinces.

Several key political leaders, including Rehman, had lost the election.