2022 Azadi March I

2022 Azadi march I
Part of 2022–2023 Pakistan political unrest
Date25 May 2022 (2022-05-25) – 26 May 2022
Location
 Pakistan Countrywide followed by marches to Islamabad, also Demonstrations by Pakistani communities in Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Italy and many other countries
Caused by
  • Khan's accusation on the government on regime change (not proven)[1]
  • Alleged US interference in Pakistan’s internal politics (not proven)
Goals
MethodsProtesters:

Government and its supporters:

StatusInconclusive
Parties
Lead figures
Other protests

The 2022 Azadi March I (Urdu: آزادی مارچ, romanizedĀzādī Mārch, lit.'Freedom March') was a protest march initiated by the ousted former Pakistani prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party chairman Imran Khan against the government of his successor, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. On 24 May 2022, Khan announced a long march towards Islamabad starting on 25 May 2022.[2] Khan lead the march from Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where his provincial government helped him. Senior PTI members lead the march from Lahore, the capital of Punjab.

Imran Khan asked people to reach the Srinagar Highway in Islamabad to support his demands for early elections. His workers would stay in Islamabad as required, for their only demand would be to give a date for clean and transparent general elections and to dissolve assemblies.[3] Addressing the bureaucracy and the police, Khan said it would be illegal for them to take any action against the "peaceful protest". Addressing the Pakistan Army, he said "if you are neutral then be neutral too".[4][5] It was expected that the protest would involve around 2 million workers marching to Islamabad and that they would remain there until the election is declared. The protesters, led by Imran Khan, aimed to hold a sit-in at D-Chowk in Islamabad until the date for the dissolution of assemblies and a date for new general elections was announced.[6] Imran Khan gave a six-day ultimatum to the government to declare elections and dissolve assemblies.

  1. ^ "Imran Khan accuses Biden administration for being involved in 'regime change conspiracy'". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  2. ^ Sirajuddin, Dawn com (22 May 2022). "PTI's long march to Islamabad on May 25: Imran Khan". DAWN.COM.
  3. ^ "Islamabad braces for PTI's long march as crackdown intensifies". The Express Tribune. 24 May 2022.
  4. ^ "PTI long march on Wednesday: Imran warns bureaucracy, police against creating hurdles".
  5. ^ "Imran starts long march for 'real freedom' on 25th". 23 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Imran says long march towards Islamabad to take place in last week of May". DAWN.COM. 30 April 2022.