Long March in Pakistan that made the history of world political science !!
Second Phase is coming soon ....
The Long March (Urdu: ???? ?????) was a public protest against alleged governmental corruption in Pakistan. The march moved from Lahore toIslamabad between 14 and 17 January 2013 and was organised by the Canadian-Pakistani Sufi scholar Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. On 17 January, Qadri made a deal with the government, termed the Islamabad Long March Declaration, that ended the protest.[SUP][1][/SUP]
Background[edit source | editbeta]
Further information: Corruption in Pakistan
A series of corruption scandals had plagued Pakistan in the years preceding 2013, including a case against President Asif Zardari and former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, who was found to be in contempt of court. The leader of the long march stayed in a bulletproof container.[SUP][2][/SUP] As the march culminated, incumbent Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was also found guilty of corruption in his previous cabinet post, as Minister for Water and Power.[SUP][3][/SUP] A general election is due to be held in the spring of 2013.[SUP][4][/SUP]
Shortly after returning from self-imposed exile in Canada (where he acquired Canadian citizenship), Qadri gave a speech on 23 December 2012, in which he denounced the rampant corruption at all levels of government. The speech galvanised demonstrators who were already frustrated with the president's inability to reduce militancy and improve the economy of Pakistan.[SUP][5][/SUP]
Goals[edit source | editbeta]
The initial goal of the march was to request electoral reforms such as disallowing corrupt imcumbents from standing for election and to bring forward the date for the general election due in 2013. Qadri also called for a pre-election interim government to be appointed with input from the country's judiciary and military. The demand for an interim government was met with skepticism because the military's involvement in civilian affairs would set back the democracy that had often been abrogated in the history of Pakistan; the military denied this charge. Upon reaching Islamabad the goal of the march evolved to call for the dissolution of the Parliament of Pakistan by 15 January and making President Asif Ali Zardari "an ex-president" by staging a sit-in in front of parliament (a deadline that was overlooked).[SUP][5][/SUP] Qadri also called for the dissolution of the provincial assemblies and the disbanding of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).[SUP][1][/SUP]
Protest march[edit source | editbeta]
Due to Qadri's 2010 Fatwa on Terrorism, there had been concerns from the government that a large rally led by him could be targeted by militants. As such, schools and many businesses on the march route closed and more than 10,000 police and paramilitary troops were deployed throughout Islamabad. Prior to the march, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement withdrew because of security concerns. Qadri had called for a march of over a million people, but the media reported that the actual number of participants was more than 50,000.[SUP][6][/SUP]
A caravan of protestors left Lahore in hundreds of buses, vans, motorcycles and cars. Despite government blockades using cordons of freight containers and barbed wire, the convoy was allowed to enter Islamabad, where Qadri held a rally on Jinnah Avenue, about two miles from the parliament. Demonstrators heard Qadri say: "Tomorrow, the injustices will end, and these corrupt people no longer will run the government! ... [To Zardari] Don't test the patience of these people." After previously deciding to stop the protesters from staging a sit-in outside parliament, the government allowed them to go from the rally to stage the sit-in about 500 yards from the parliament.[SUP][5]
[/SUP]
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_March_(Pakistan)
Second Phase is coming soon ....
The Long March (Urdu: ???? ?????) was a public protest against alleged governmental corruption in Pakistan. The march moved from Lahore toIslamabad between 14 and 17 January 2013 and was organised by the Canadian-Pakistani Sufi scholar Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. On 17 January, Qadri made a deal with the government, termed the Islamabad Long March Declaration, that ended the protest.[SUP][1][/SUP]
Background[edit source | editbeta]
Further information: Corruption in Pakistan
A series of corruption scandals had plagued Pakistan in the years preceding 2013, including a case against President Asif Zardari and former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, who was found to be in contempt of court. The leader of the long march stayed in a bulletproof container.[SUP][2][/SUP] As the march culminated, incumbent Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was also found guilty of corruption in his previous cabinet post, as Minister for Water and Power.[SUP][3][/SUP] A general election is due to be held in the spring of 2013.[SUP][4][/SUP]
Shortly after returning from self-imposed exile in Canada (where he acquired Canadian citizenship), Qadri gave a speech on 23 December 2012, in which he denounced the rampant corruption at all levels of government. The speech galvanised demonstrators who were already frustrated with the president's inability to reduce militancy and improve the economy of Pakistan.[SUP][5][/SUP]
Goals[edit source | editbeta]
The initial goal of the march was to request electoral reforms such as disallowing corrupt imcumbents from standing for election and to bring forward the date for the general election due in 2013. Qadri also called for a pre-election interim government to be appointed with input from the country's judiciary and military. The demand for an interim government was met with skepticism because the military's involvement in civilian affairs would set back the democracy that had often been abrogated in the history of Pakistan; the military denied this charge. Upon reaching Islamabad the goal of the march evolved to call for the dissolution of the Parliament of Pakistan by 15 January and making President Asif Ali Zardari "an ex-president" by staging a sit-in in front of parliament (a deadline that was overlooked).[SUP][5][/SUP] Qadri also called for the dissolution of the provincial assemblies and the disbanding of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).[SUP][1][/SUP]
Protest march[edit source | editbeta]
Due to Qadri's 2010 Fatwa on Terrorism, there had been concerns from the government that a large rally led by him could be targeted by militants. As such, schools and many businesses on the march route closed and more than 10,000 police and paramilitary troops were deployed throughout Islamabad. Prior to the march, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement withdrew because of security concerns. Qadri had called for a march of over a million people, but the media reported that the actual number of participants was more than 50,000.[SUP][6][/SUP]
A caravan of protestors left Lahore in hundreds of buses, vans, motorcycles and cars. Despite government blockades using cordons of freight containers and barbed wire, the convoy was allowed to enter Islamabad, where Qadri held a rally on Jinnah Avenue, about two miles from the parliament. Demonstrators heard Qadri say: "Tomorrow, the injustices will end, and these corrupt people no longer will run the government! ... [To Zardari] Don't test the patience of these people." After previously deciding to stop the protesters from staging a sit-in outside parliament, the government allowed them to go from the rally to stage the sit-in about 500 yards from the parliament.[SUP][5]
[/SUP]
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_March_(Pakistan)