Maulana Fazl leads opposition's irresistible 'Azadi March' from Karachi.

KARACHI -- After ending nearly inflexible negotiations with the government on Saturday, the opposition's anti-government long march being called as 'Azadi March' has begun from Karachi where the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has already finalised arrangements.

JUI-F Ameer Maulana Fazlur Rehman is himself leading the Azadi March. Pakistan People's Party (PPP) representatives Saeed Ghani, former Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani, Awami National Party (ANP) leaders including Shahi Syed, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president and former governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair Umar, PML-N Sindh President Shah Muhammad Shah and many other politicians belonging to different political parties are present in the caravan of Fazl to express their support for Azadi March.

The PPP has expressed full support for the massive demonstration being launched from Sindh - the province the party has been ruling since 2008.

The march proceeded to the Superhighway (M9) after smaller demonstrations emerged from the city's six districts and gathered at Sohrab Goth where the JUI-F flexed its political muscles.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman addressed massive gathering of the protesters at Sohrab Goth, and lashed out at the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for what he claimed 'compromise' on the Kashmir dispute.

'We don't accept the [general] elections held on July 25 and its results [...] Imran Khan must resign,' he said.

'The people of Karachi have responded to our call, I thank them for it [...] I appreciate workers of all [opposition] political parties,' he added.

'The government has resorted to uncivilised tactics [...] after Hafiz Hamdullah's matter of citizenship, they have arrested Mufti Kifayatullah.'

Fazl reiterated the opposition's demand for Prime Minister Imran Khan's removal.

'[Prime Minister] Imran Khan must tender his resignation. We have proven today that the entire nation is united in its wish to see Imran Khan removed from office,' he said.

'We never accepted the 2018 elections or the government that was formed on the basis of those questionable results.'

He asserted that the protesters would not violate any laws and the march would comply with all the conditions stipulated by the administration.

Fazl also condemned the National Database and Registration Authority's decision to declare former senator Hafiz Hamdullah a 'confirmed alien'. He said the protesters would not be intimidated by any such tactics.

We appeal to the international community...