After Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday announced that his long march will commence from Friday, federal ministers and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders came forward, stating that the government will deal strongly with the marchers who are planning to come to Islamabad.
Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said that the long march was announced because Khan wants National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to escape punishment in the foreign funding and Toshakhana cases.
PML-N leader and former federal minister Abid Sher Ali said that, “The government will deal with the long march with iron hands. There is no leniency for certified thieves”.
Meanwhile, PML-N leader and former Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that Khan can do whatever he wants but the government is not going anywhere. “Imran Khan may launch a long march or do as he wishes, the government will remain as it is,” he stressed.
While speaking on the Geo News’ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath‘ he said that neither politics nor democracy will survive in the country if a tradition takes hold to overthrow the government through long marches.
He posed a question: “Why does a long march take place whenever bilateral relations with China get off the ground?” Moreover, he mentioned that the last time when the long march was announced, Chinese President Xi Jinping was set to visit Pakistan.
It is pertinent to mention here that in 2014, President Xi had to call off his scheduled visit to Pakistan because of the political unrest in the country caused by long march in the federal capital. At the time, the Chinese ambassador had even approached Khan to suspend his protest for a few days in order to allow the visit to take place. However, he refused.
On October 25, Khan announced his party’s much-awaited long march. The march will begin on Friday, October 28 from Lahore’s Liberty Chowk at 11am.
