Pakistan's Aug 14 protests: The march will go on, come what may

Despite last minute appeals for dialogue from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek are determined to march to the capital - come what may.

Many parts of Lahore and Islamabad have been blocked off with containers; sensitive areas are expected to be without cellular services for the duration of the marches; there is real fear that there will be blood as the protests advance.
LHC stops PTI from proceeding with long march by dawn-news

Despite the Lahore High Court's order that maintained that the PTI and PAT's marches should not proceed, the parties' leaders said they would not be deterred.

Below is a round-up of the day’s political happenings and statements on the even of August 14.

"We do not want a technocratic [caretaker] government, we want a non-political one," said Imran Khan. "I will sleep on the streets where you sleep. I will be with you," Khan told supporters.

PTI chief Imran Khan said that his party will bring true democracy to Pakistan. "We want to rid Pakistan of the Sharif monarchy," he said. The PTI chief said that whenever the government breaks the law his party will break the government. "We will demand that the PM that was involved in rigging should resign," Imran Khan said.

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri said that August 14 will be the day of his 'revolution march' come what may. He said that protests will be held in a peaceful manner. "We have been the upholders of peace, so there is no possibility that the march will be violent," Qadri said. "There is no possibility that our conduct will be one of violence... We have been the strongest opponents of violence and militancy," he said.