Tahirul Qadri’s long march to begin with delay

LAHORE: Dr Tahirul Qadri’s “million-man march” will leave Lahore after Zuhr prayers towards its destination Islamabad – around four hours later than its scheduled time.

A large number of party workers and supporters gathered in front of Qadri’s residence in Lahore carrying the national flag.

Dozens of trucks, loaded with food items, camps and gas cylinders, are also prepared to leave with the caravan. Two trucks have been allocated for the media.

Minhajul Quran International (MQI) spokesperson told the media that about 2,000 people have reached Lahore to join the march. Qadri’s supporters said that the number of participants will reach millions as more people join the caravan on the way.

The spokesperson also claimed that authorities were stopping buses from leaving their points to reach the starting point of the caravan. Around 25 vehicles have been stopped in Ravi Town and 15 in Wagah Town, he added.

Security across Islamabad has been put on high alert to avoid any untoward incident during the march. The police put containers on the city’s entrances and around the red zone to deny motorists access to the areas.