ISLAMABAD: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, leader of Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam (JUI-F) party, addressed a big gathering in Pakistan’s second largest city, Lahore, on Wednesday before resuming his journey to the country’s federal capital with the stated objective of toppling the government.
“Azadi [freedom] march is the voice of every oppressed soul in Pakistan,” said the firebrand cleric who has rallied tens of thousands of Pakistanis for his anti-government demonstration.
Lahore is considered to be the stronghold of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, one of the biggest opposition factions in the country whose top leader, Nawaz Sharif, is currently undergoing a medical treatment in one of the hospitals in city and had instructed his party workers to join the JUI-F agitation.
Meanwhile, authorities in Islamabad sealed off diplomatic enclave, placing shipping containers in different parts of the city to block the main thoroughfares and entrance routes to manage the incoming protestors who are likely to arrive in the city on October 31.
JUI-F cheif has called the government of cricketer-turned-politician Prime Minister Imran Khan “incompetent and illegitimate.”
Rehman announced a protest campaign earlier this month aimed at ousting Khan, raising the prospect of political turmoil as the government struggles to stabilize the economy.
Protesters set off out on Sunday from the southern port city of Karachi and plan to undertake a 1,440-kilometer-long journey to the country’s capital, passing through major Pakistani cities.
Along the way, it is expected that the march will be joined by thousands of seminary students and convoys of major opposition parties, including the PML-N and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
As the caravan moves toward Islamabad, analysts predict the show will be the biggest public gathering in the federal capital since a 2014 sit-in by Khan, then an opposition leader, against the government of former PM Nawaz Sharif.
Meanwhile, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) ordered the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, from where Rehman’s party draws a majority of its supporters, not to close highways in an attempt to stop the march.
A two-member bench of the PHC said the provincial government should not block any roads with containers, and urged participants of the march to remain peaceful.
Khan won last year’s election on a promise to end corruption and help middle-class families but the economy is running into headwinds and the government in July agreed to a $6 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund.
Election authorities rejected opposition complaints of rigging in the 2018 vote.
Rehman is a veteran politician who heads an alliance with several seats in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies. But his real influence comes from his ability to mobilize support, particularly in numerous religious schools, or madrasas, across the country.
The main opposition parties of former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto have both said they would back Rehman’s campaign against Khan, though have also said they would not support any unconstitutional action.
In statements reported by media, Khan has said he will not resign or be “blackmailed” by protesters.
On Tuesday, markets and many businesses closed across Pakistan for a strike to protest against government measures aimed at meeting IMF demands to boost tax revenues to bolster depleted public finances.
The International Monetary Fund approved a $6 billion loan package for Pakistan in July but warned that it would require ambitious fiscal measures and a sustained commitment to mobilize tax revenue to ensure funds for development while reducing debt.
The two-day strike is the second since July called by business groups after negotiations with government on efforts to enforce the paying of sales tax and catching tax dodgers.
JUIF continues march to Islamabad to 'topple government'
JUIF continues march to Islamabad to 'topple government'
- PM Khan said he will not resign or be “blackmailed” by protesters
- Convoy expected to reach Islamabad on Oct 31, protest leaders say will not leave until PM Khan resigns
Kazakh president meets Pakistan PM to discuss bilateral trade, regional connectivity
- Kazakhstan seeks access to Arabian Sea ports as Pakistan pushes role as regional transit hub
- Commerce ministers discuss connectivity challenges as Pakistan-Kazakhstan trade push grows
KARACHI: Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official residence in Islamabad on Wednesday for talks with Pakistan’s top political leadership on bilateral trade, cooperation and regional connectivity, with both sides expected to sign several memoranda of understanding (MoUs).
Tokayev arrived in Pakistan a day earlier on a two-day official visit as landlocked Kazakhstan seeks access to maritime trade routes through Pakistan’s southern ports on the Arabian Sea. Islamabad, meanwhile, has been positioning itself as a regional transit hub, with an emphasis on improving physical connectivity with Central Asian states.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Foreign Minister (FM) Ishaq Dar called on the Kazakh president earlier in the day to welcome him to the country.
“Welcoming him to Pakistan, DPM/FM extended warm greetings from the President, Prime Minister, Government and people of Pakistan,” the foreign office said in a social media post.
It said Dar underscored Pakistan’s appreciation for the growing momentum of high-level political exchanges and reaffirmed a shared commitment to expand bilateral cooperation across political, economic and people-to-people domains, while working together for durable peace, stability and development in the region.
According to the Kazakh government, bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $53.7 million in 2024. Pakistan’s main exports to Kazakhstan include citrus fruits, pharmaceutical products, garments, soap and sports equipment, while imports largely comprise onions and garlic, dried legumes, oats, buckwheat, seeds and fruits.
Pakistan’s foreign office said a day earlier that Tokayev’s visit would offer an important opportunity to explore new avenues for cooperation, with MoUs expected in areas of mutual interest.
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan separately held talks on Wednesday with Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shaqqaliev to review bilateral trade and connectivity.
“The meeting focused extensively on addressing connectivity challenges between Pakistan and Central Asia and identifying practical solutions to unlock the full trade potential between the two countries,” the commerce ministry said.
“Both sides agreed that improved rail, road and multimodal connectivity is fundamental to strengthening Pakistan–Kazakhstan trade and enabling sustainable, long-term economic engagement,” it added.
Shaqqaliev highlighted the strategic importance of major infrastructure projects, particularly rail and road corridors, saying such initiatives could generate trade and investment flows of about $5 billion, create jobs and strengthen regional supply chains.
Khan said Pakistan was keen to enhance direct connectivity with Central Asia through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, while acknowledging regional and geopolitical challenges.
“Improved transit routes would not only benefit Pakistan and Kazakhstan but also open broader opportunities for regional and global trade, including access to African and ASEAN markets through Pakistan’s ports,” he was quoted as saying.
The two sides discussed cooperation in sectors including agriculture and food security, pharmaceuticals, textiles, sports goods, leather, mining, energy and infrastructure development.
Kazakhstan expressed interest in joint ventures in food processing, agriculture value chains and pharmaceuticals, while Pakistan invited Kazakh investment in mining, minerals and agri-based industries under its investment facilitation framework.
Both ministers also stressed the need for structured business-to-business engagement, agreeing that trade promotion bodies should focus on linking firms, sharing market intelligence and facilitating matchmaking without adding regulatory hurdles.
“They reaffirmed their shared commitment to transforming Pakistan–Kazakhstan economic relations from potential to performance, with a strong focus on connectivity, investment-led growth and regional integration,” the commerce ministry said, adding that sustained coordination and private-sector engagement could significantly boost trade and investment in coming years.
