march was ended by the sole decision of the party leaders of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). Background On 17 June 2014, a violent clash occurred between the Punjab Police and PAT activists resulting in the deaths of several protesters from police gunfire. Following the killings of his party workers, Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri had been on a flight from Dubai airport to Islamabad airport where his supporters had gathered, however after the Emirates flight circulated above Islamabad the Pakistani authorities finally diverted the flight to Lahore Airport. The police fired tear gas at Qadri's supporters that had gathered at Islamabad airport. A stand-off ensued at Lahore airport where Qadri alleged that the Punjab government may try to harm upon leaving the aircraft. He demanded a military escort off the plane however this was met with the Governor of Punjab Choudhry Mohammad Sarwar's personal convoy taking him to his residence in Model Town, Lahore. Current situation As of the end of September 2014, the Inqilab March is conducting sit-in protests with allied partner Imran Khan, Chairman and founder of Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and organizer of the 2014 Azadi march, in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, ongoing since 14 August 2014 (Pakistani Independence Day). After the announcement of the Azadi March, it was expected that Tahir-ul-Qadri (heretofore refusing to ally his own march with the Azadi March) allied the PTI's Azadi March with his own Inqilab March. This alliance between the two parties resulted in two parallel marches by Qadri and Imran Khan (with the goal of mutual protection in any civil crackdown). Informal PTI–PAT coalition Imran Khan and Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri did not fully join their protest marches nor decline to support each other. On 10 August 2014, Qadri formally announced that his party's political march, the Inqilab March, would proceed parallel with PTI's Azadi march. Both marches were organized to take different routes, albeit closely mirroring each other. It is apparent that the two parties have similar objectives yet different aims and strategies. The announcement of two parallel marches by parties in opposition gave rise to speculation that a coalition between PTI and PAT was possible. The chiefs of the two parties never clearly stipulated a formal coalition; but an informal agreement to support each other was achieved. On 11 August 2014, Qadri and Khan both announced that there would be two parallel marches, informally allied together for the dismissal of the government.