The former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairperson Imran Khan said on Thursday that the goal behind his party’s protests against the government was to attain "real freedom" through free and fair elections, Aaj News reported.

He made these remarks while addressing the party workers outside his Banigala residence, gathered to thwart the government’s attempt to arrest the PTI chairperson before the party’s long march toward Islamabad.

The former premier said that he would announce the date for the long march tomorrow (Friday) during PTI’s Multan rally.

“Multan will be the last public gathering before the march towards Islamabad begins. The march towards Islamabad will be for real freedom,” the PTI chairman said, adding that the "PTI’s goal of a fresh election is near."

Imran says families of army personnel will march with him to Islamabad

“We do not want an imported government but freedom via elections,” Imran Khan said.

"The sea of people would not leave Islamabad until and unless the Shehbaz Sharif-led government announces the date of the fresh elections".

He said that the nation had rejected the "imported government" which cannot even take decisions aimed at public relief.

Earlier, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the PTI chairperson and Sheikh Rashid could be arrested if evidence was found showing their involvement in the sloganeering at Masjid-e-Nabavi.