Azadi March concludes as Imran Khan gives six-day deadline to govt for announcing elections

ISLAMABAD – Former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan on Thursday gave an ultimatum to the government - announce date for new election within six days or face another big rally of people. 

He announced the end of the Azadi March while addressing party workers at the Jinnah Avenue. "I will march on Islamabad with sea of people again if demands are not met." 

"We came here to unite the nation, not for dividing," he said while lashing out at the government for using paramilitary troops against the protesters. 

“They want a fight between us and police. I am giving you 6 days if you don't announce elections I will come back to Islamabad again with all Pakistanis”-@ImranKhanPTI #حقیقی_آزادی_مارچ pic.twitter.com/oY1pvHTYIM

— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 26, 2022

"Army, Rangers, police are ours like public," the PTI chairman said, adding that the "imported government" wanted clashes between army and PTI workers. 

He also urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of brutal use of force against peaceful protesters. 

Claiming that five PTI workers were killed in clashes after PTI launched the long march, Khan said that he sought justice for people of Pakistan from the top court. He said that holding a peaceful protest is right of every Pakistan. 

Khan went to his Bani Gala residence after addressing the participants of the marchers, Geo News reported. 

The PTI chief reached Islamabad after midnight to address the party workers and supporters. 

However, Khan could not reach D-Chowk, where a large crowd of PTI supporters was waiting for him, even hours after his expected time of arrival.

Earlier, PTI supporters allegedly set some trees and a police van on fire before Khan's caravan entered the federal capital on Wednesday night.

However, some people were speculating that government authorities set fire to different things in the federal capital just to malign the opposition party. 

وفاقی دارالحکومت کے مرکزی علاقہ بلیو ایریا میں پی ٹی آئی کارکنان نے درختوں اور گرین بیلٹ کو نذر آتش کردیا pic.twitter.com/nznKg6x5ts

— Ghazanfar Abbas (@ghazanfarabbass) May 25, 2022

The incident took place soon after PTI Chairman Imran Khan released his latest video message for the nation, saying that his caravan was just at an hour away from Islamabad.

لانگ مارچ میں شریک مظاہرین نے بلیو ایریا میں درختوں اور گاڑی کو آگ لگا دی۔
پولیس نے فائربریگیڈکو بلوا لیا۔کچھ جگہوں پر آگ بجھا دی گئی جبکہ مظاہرین نے ایکسپریس چوک میں دوبارہ درختوں کو آگ لگا دی۔ ریڈ زون کی سکیورٹی کو مزید بڑھا دیا گیا ہے۔ترجمان اسلام آباد پولیس@PTVNewsOfficial

— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) May 25, 2022

Khan asked the people of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to reach D-Chowk and wait for him. He once again reiterated that he was not doing politics; he was doing jihad to save Pakistan. 

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In Karachi, police opened fire on PTI supporters who had gathered in the city in support of Imran Khan's Haqiqi Azadi March as part of his efforts to rid Pakistan of what he calls "imported government". As a result, two PTI activists were killed. 

Two PTI workers martyred in direct police firing in Karachi#حقیقی_آزادی_مارچ #MarchAgainstlmportedGovt pic.twitter.com/5Bo85Ol3bo

— Shahzaib Ali (@ShahzebDal1) May 25, 2022