Countdown begins: Fazlur Rehman's "Azadi March" commences from Karachi

• JUI-F leader says we do not accept the government that was formed after the 'rigged' elections of July 25.
•  Fazl says prime minister will have to tender resignation at all costs.
• Leaders and workers of ANP and PPP are participating in “Azadi March”.

(Karachi) The "Azadi March" commenced from Karachi after JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman's brief address on Sunday.

Fazlur Rehman addressed the participants of the rally from a specially designed container in city's Sohrab Goth area.

He said that Imran Khan will have to resign at all costs. He added, "We do not accept the government that was formed after the 'rigged' elections of July 25."

He remarked if the entire nation unites against Imran Khan, he will have no option but to resign.

He asserted that the protesters would not violate any laws and the march would comply with all the conditions set by the administration.

Fazl also condemned the National Database and Registration Authority’s decision to declare former senator Hafiz Hamdullah a “confirmed alien”. He said the protesters would not be intimidated by any such tactics.

After Fazl's address, "Azadi March" rally headed towards Sukkur via Hyderabad on the M-9 motorway. Caravans from Balochistan will join in at Sukkur. The marchers will spend the night in Sukkur and will leave for Punjab through Ubauro on Monday morning.

Meanwhile, a large number of police personnel and law enforcement agencies accompanied the JUI-F chief's rally.  Activists and workers of JUI-F and other political parties, including ANP and PPP leaders, are also participating in the “Azadi March”.

Earlier, the negotiating team of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and Rehbar Committee of opposition parties agreed that JUI-F will hold its sit-in at Peshawar More out of Red Zone of Islamabad.

In this regard, a written agreement between administration and the opposition was reached. Under this agreement, the protesters shall not enter the Red Zone.

The government would not create any trouble for them if they wanted to bring food, etc., for the participants of the rally.

The opposition will hold sit-in at H-9 at a ground near Sunday market.

Sources said that the district administration will block all entry and exits points of the city on October 29 in case of any untoward situation.

The administration will also block main routes linking the capital with Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, they added.

They said that as per security plan devised by the police, security personnel will be deployed in three layers. Police personnel will be deployed in the first zone, Frontier Corps in second and Rangers in third, they said.

The administration has also got the government buildings vacated for accommodation of additional force of around 20,000 personnel, demanded from the governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.