Called off Azadi March to prevent 'bloodshed', says Imran Khan

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday (May 30) that he decided to call off 'Azadi March' last week to prevent 'bloodshed'.

The Shehbaz Sharif-led government would have been the ultimate beneficiary of any ensuing chaos and violence, the Dawn newspaper quoted the PTI chairman as saying.

"The hatred against police had already intensified and seeing me [at D-Chowk] would have further stoked the sentiments of my workers," he said. "I was a 100 per cent sure that bullets will be fired. People from our side were also ready as some of them were carrying pistols. It would have led to further hatred against the police and the army and caused divisions within the country ...," he said in an interview with a TV journalist for 92 News.

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"I was 100 per cent sure the country would have headed towards anarchy in this situation," he added.

Khan said that his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) would ask Pakistan's Supreme Court whether holding 'peaceful protest' was permissible or not.

"If the Supreme Court does not protect our fundamental rights this time, then it is not democracy." He even went on to say that "this will be the trial of the Supreme Court now".

Last week, multiple scuffles took place between the police and PTI marchers after Imran Khan and his convoy entered Islamabad and started marching towards the D-Chowk despite the Supreme Court`s order to hold a rally at a ground between H9 and G9 areas of Islamabad.

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PML (N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Saturday requested the Pakistani judiciary to remain "impartial" and maintain a distance from Imran Khan`s politics.

"Imran Khan, the revolution that you want to bring through the Supreme Court, the SC itself, along with the people of Pakistan, will foil it," Geo News quoted her as saying during a public gathering in Bahawalpur, Punjab.

(With inputs from agencies)

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