PTI Chairman Imran Khan started off his Long March on Islamabad, but in speech kicking it off, he laid all his emphasis on attacking not just the ISI chief, but also two other senior officers of the spy agency, taking only cursory notice of the removal of the PDM government and the holding of fresh elections. It seems that Mr Khan had been stung to the quick by the unprecedented press conference the day before of DG ISI L6t Gen Nadeem Anjum Though he said it was a political presser. He did not make any counter-revelations after General Anjjum disclosed his offer of an unlimited, open-ended extension offer to COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, though he said he was keeping quiet in the interest of the country and its institutions.He continued his attack on the ISI by accusing a DG and the Sector Commander Islamanbad of torturing Senator Azam Swati. Senator Swati had also held a press conference in Islamabad the same day, in which he accused those two officers of torturing him after his recent arrest for sedition after his tweets accusing the COAS of getting Mian Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza acquitted of money laundering. Mr Khan was clearly moved by the decision of the Army
Mr Khan’s Long March is scheduled to reach Rawat on March 4, at which point there will be a further decision on what the PTI plans to do. Mr Khan promised, at the March’s beginning, that it would be peaceful and would not enter the Red Zone. It might be noted that the travelling time is actually at a walking pace. There was a time, about a century and a half ago, when those who could not afford horses or other draught animals, would walk great distances, including from Lahore to Rawalpindi and even beyond. However, with motor transport, this sluggish pace is only meant to allow Mr Khan to address welcoming crowds along the route. The crowd is than supposed to go home, while welcomers join the March. The March crowd is not planned to swell on the way, and by the time it reaches Rawat, it will consist mainly of those who have joined at points north of Sarai Alamgir. It is not so much as a March, as a sort of moving rally. Instead of Mr Khan and followers both coming to a rally venu, followers need only go to the kerb, as Mr Khan comes to them. While Mr Khan has sent a mixed signal on departure, he has the rest of the week to give out his message.
