A timeline of political journeys on GT road
Turning the pages of political history on Grand Trunk road. Photo: AP
(Dunya News) - With Nawaz Sharif embarking on his journey back to Lahore following his ouster as the premier of the country, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz is flexing its political muscle through its road rally on the Grand Trunk road.
But this isn t the first time political parties and political jalsas have made their way on the historic GT road. The road has witnessed several such gatherings over the past seven decades. Dunya News takes a look at the major political rallies that have made it to the GT road.
The political journey on GT road began as early as 1940. Founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was the first leader to be welcomed enthusiastically at the Lahore railway station.
After the creation of Pakistan Qayyum Khan, the head of Muslim League Qayyum, led a massive rally on the GT road.
During Ayub Khan’s regime Fatima Ali Jinnah ran for the president and headed a train march in East and West Pakistan.
After the Tashkent Agreement, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s train March was declared historical.
Benazir Bhutto was welcomed with zeal after her return from exile on April 10, 1986.
In 1992 Benazir led a long march against the Nawaz Sharif government which resulted in a clash between the police and protesters.
PML (N) organized a long march for the restoration of judiciary in 2009 as a consequence of which Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani reinstated Chaudry Iftikhar before the rally reached Gujranwala.
In protest of alleged rigging in general elections Chairman PTI Imran Khan led a long march from Lahore to Rawalpindi in 2014. The rally concluded after a journey of 2 days.
