Azadi March kicks off from Karachi

KARACHI: The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Azadi March led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman set out on Sunday from Karachi's Sohrab Goth area towards Islamabad. Thousands of people, including madrassa students, are participating in the march. In addition, convoys of political parties, including the PPP, PML-N, ANP and others joined the march.

The JUI-F chief encountered his first hiccup when the container he was travelling in got stuck at an overhead bridge. A video started circulating on social media in which one can see the container getting stuck under the overhead bridge.

The caravan lead by Maulana Fazlur Rehman proceeded to the Super Highway (M9) after smaller demonstrations departed from the city’s six districts and gather at Sohrab Goth. After reaching Hyderabad, the Azadi March caravan travelled to Sukkur after it reached Hyderabad at 7:00pm.

In his address to the people in Hyderabad, the Maulana said that his caravan would arrive in Islamabad to give a clear message that the masses will not accept this ‘illegal’ government.

Fazlur Rehman said that JUI-F would not let them sell Kashmir and would keep the Kashmir movement alive. He also said that he would not allow "an attack on democracy" or allow anyone to "commit a robbery over the votes of Pakistanis".

The Azadi March officially began after an address by Maulana Fazl at Sohrab Goth to show solidarity with the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). A large number of buses and other vehicles were hired to transport the participants of Azadi March.

In his Karachi address, Fazlur Rehman said Imran Khan will have to resign. “He’s not the ruler of Pakistan,” Fazlur Rehman said, and added that the JUI-F do not accept the elections nor their results or the government that was formed as a result of those results.

The JUI-F chief said his caravan will lead towards Islamabad and by October 31 they will enter the capital city. Once they enter, he predicted that the reconciliation team of government will seek the NRO, but “we will not negotiate”. “We will only abide by the rulings of the courts,” he said, and added that their stay in Islamabad will be in the light of court’s orders. He said his party will abide by the agreements reached with the administration.

The JUI-F chief said while the entire nation is walking towards Islamabad, the world is making fun of the rulers’ decision of revoking Hafiz Hamdullah’s citizenship. He said Nadra should be ashamed for such act. “If someone is Pakhtun, will the rulers call him an Afghani,” he questioned. The Maulana said people like Shaukat Aziz and Moeen Qureshi came from other country to Pakistan for ruling it, while Pakistani citizens like Hafiz Hamdullah are being declared aliens.

Fazlur Rehman showed solidarity with the people of IOK. He said that they had promised that on October 27, they will show solidarity to the Kashmiri people. He said he was thankful to everyone for showing up. Through their march, he said that they are sending a message to Kashmiri brothers that the entire Pakistani nation is standing with them and will continue to support them until their freedom. With this show of unity, he said that India is getting the message that it was responsible for the atrocities, violation of human dignity and disruption of daily life of people of Kashmir by imposing curfew for three consecutive months.

He appealed to the international community, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to take notice of Indian atrocities in Kashmir. He warned that Pakistan will never remain silent on the mayhem being perpetrated against Kashmiris. “We want to tell the world that we are on the same page on the Kashmir issue,” he said, and added that they do not accept secret agreements and deals the government has made for Kashmiris.